University Hospital of Hartlepool to receive £13m green-friendly improvements keeping it at forefront of care 'for many years'

The hospital’s managers, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, have secured the multi-million government funding to make a number of green-friendly improvements.

They include upgrades to the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and lighting across the site in Holdforth Road, Hartlepool.

The works will also help the Trust achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2040 in line with national NHS targets.

Neil Atkinson, managing director of the Trust, said: “This work will mean our Hartlepool site remains at the forefront of healthcare for many years to come.

“It is fantastic news for staff, patients but our whole community as we continue to strive to provide the very best care to all.

“Healthcare continues to evolve at a rapid rate and it is vital that we make these improvements so that we continue to lead the way.

“It is also important as a key community partner and one of the largest employers in the region to play our part in helping reduce our carbon emissions and the effects of climate change on the environment."

The works, to be carried out over two years, will include upgrading the hospital’s air handling unit, LED lighting and solar panels.

It will also include installing a new heat pump system which will get energy from groundwater stored deep underground by drilling six boreholes around 150 metres into the ground.

The works will be led by NTH Solutions, a subsidiary of North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

Steve Taylor, assistant director of estates and capital at NTH Solutions, said: “This works is a fantastic opportunity to achieve significant annual energy and carbon savings at the Hartlepool site.

“It will be a cost-efficient, sustainable way to help deliver on one of the organisation’s key priorities to be net zero by 2040.

“We are investing in the latest state-of-the-art ways to reduce our carbon emissions and allow staff to deliver the very best care to patients.”

The funding has been approved by Salix, an organisation who administer funds on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.