Oxford University Hospitals cut carbon emissions by 21% over three years with solar panels, greener anaesthetics, and staff travel changes

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Horton General Hospital in Banbury and the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, has reduced its direct carbon emissions by 21% over three years. Emissions dropped from 47,349 tonnes CO2e in 2022/23 to 37,419 tonnes in 2025/26, with a 10% reduction in the last financial year alone. The cuts came from a mix of clinical and operational changes. Anaesthetic gas emissions fell from 3,619 to 2,170 tonnes CO2e. Clinicians moved patients to lower-carbon inhalers where possible. Solar panels were installed, food waste collection improved, and business travel was cut by 215,000 car miles after shifting meetings online. The trust's head of sustainability said staff behavior changes like cycling and using buses also helped. The case shows how hospitals can cut emissions without compromising patient care, using a combination of infrastructure investment and practical workflow changes.