Hundreds of new EV charging sockets are set to be rolled out for use by NHS fleet vehicles, thanks to £4 million of funding.
The money has been awarded to the NHS in England through an extension to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) NHS Chargepoint Acceleration Scheme.
This is said to build on previous Government funding supporting more than 1,000 NHS charging sockets, and take the total Government investment in NHS charging infrastructure to £22 million, following the Department for Health and Social Care awarding NHS trusts £10 million last month, and the DfT awarding £8 million last year.
The Government says the combined investment will help the NHS to electrify some of its 20,000 medical vehicles, and decarbonise 460 million miles of travel each year. It claims this electrification will save money on maintenance and fuel costs which can be invested back into frontline care.
Karin Smyth, minister of state for health, said: “With cleaner vehicles and lower fuel bills for the NHS, everybody wins. Savings made from this investment will be redirected back to where they’re needed – getting patients seen on time again.
“With taxpayers getting more bang for their buck and more money for patient care, there is not just a moral case for this investment, but a pragmatic one, too.
“This funding is clear proof we’re upgrading and modernising the NHS and making it fit for the next century and beyond.”
Chris Gormley, chief sustainability officer for NHS England, said: “Moving to electric vehicles is helping to make the NHS fit for the future – providing quick response times for patients and improving air quality around hospitals.
“Thanks to this new funding and continued investment from the government, more NHS trusts will also save on fuel and maintenance costs.
“Zero emission vehicles are expected to save the NHS tens of millions every year, which can then be reinvested directly into frontline care for patients.”
