THE hospital trust in charge of the John Radcliffe has been warned it needs to ‘step up’ its environmental ambitions as data reveals it has had no plan in place to reduce its carbon footprint.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) joined a third of England’s trusts which still do not have one as of 2017/18, despite Government targets for an overall 34 per cent reduction in carbon emissions from building energy use, travel and procurement of goods and services by 2020.

The trust did have a healthy transport plan, unlike 46 per cent of trusts, which promotes more sustainable travel schemes such as shuttle bus services connecting sites, car share scheme and safe cycling spaces.

An OUH spokesperson said the trust was continuing to work towards reducing its environmental impact was 'developing a plan this year' to look at new advances and technologies to further decrease its carbon footprint.

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It added: “Our current annual ecological saving equates to saving 2,068 trees and 520,079kg of carbon dioxide."

In 2017, the spokesperson said a new heat and energy infrastructure the JR and Churchill was put in place, cutting carbon dioxide output by 10,000 tonnes every year. They continued: “We take our responsibility as a consumer of energy seriously, and are committed to helping reduce our economic footprint and impact on the environment.”

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, meanwhile, did have a reduction plan but as of 2017/18 was not on track to meet the 34 per cent target.

A spokeswoman for Oxford Health said it was now on track to achieve this adding: “Over the last five years we have successfully reduced our emissions by 30 per cent and are continuing to take active measures to meet the 2020 deadline.”

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This has included replacing lighting with energy efficient alternatives, high efficiency boilers, using Skype to reduce travel and trialling an electric staff vehicle.

Paper use is also down more than 75 per cent since 2016.

Steve Dawe, on behalf of environmental campaign group Extinction Rebellion Oxford, said hospitals, like all major employers in Oxford, had a ‘large role to play’ in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, adding: “Improving energy efficiency in their buildings and ensuring all of their electricity is from renewable sources are, in both cases, likely to reduce NHS spending locally on energy.

“Since this is what needs to be done to address the Climate Emergency as well, the hospitals need to step up their ambitions and become carbon neutral facilities within a few years.”

The Climate Change Act 2008 requires a reduction in emissions of 80 per cent by 2050, supported by reductions of 34 per cent by 2020, and 50 per cent by 2025. In 2016 the NHS was found to be responsible for more than five per cent of total emissions in the UK.