Understanding Carbon Emissions in Healthcare Decision-Making
The healthcare industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, with a growing focus on sustainability and reducing environmental impact. This is particularly true within acute care settings, which account for a substantial portion of the National Health Service’s (NHS) overall carbon footprint. As healthcare systems worldwide strive for net-zero targets, understanding how patients and their caregivers perceive these environmental factors during care decisions becomes crucial. This analysis explores the intersection of healthcare sustainability, patient care decisions, and the role of virtual ward systems in acute care.
The NHS Carbon Footprint and Acute Care
The NHS in England has set ambitious goals to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, aiming for direct emissions by 2040 and broader emissions by 2045. This commitment highlights the significant environmental impact of healthcare delivery. Current data indicates that care provision within the NHS is responsible for approximately 24% of its total carbon emissions. Of this, acute hospital care alone contributes about 56% of emissions related to care delivery, making it a major area for environmental improvement efforts. This means that roughly 13% of all NHS England emissions stem from acute care services, underscoring the need for sustainable practices in these settings.
Patient and Carer Perspectives on Healthcare Emissions
A key area of research involves understanding how patients and their families view the environmental impact of healthcare services. This includes assessing their awareness of carbon emissions associated with treatments and hospital stays. The goal is to explore whether and how information about environmental impact might influence their choices regarding care options. For instance, when considering different treatment pathways or the use of virtual ward systems, understanding patient and carer perspectives on sustainability is becoming increasingly important. This research aims to bridge the gap between healthcare providers’ sustainability goals and the lived experiences and decision-making processes of patients.
Virtual Wards and Sustainable Care Decisions
Virtual ward systems are emerging as a significant component of modern healthcare, offering care outside traditional hospital settings. These systems can potentially reduce the carbon footprint associated with hospital infrastructure and patient travel. However, the decision to utilize virtual wards involves both healthcare professionals and patients/carers. This PhD project specifically investigates how patients and their caregivers understand and perceive carbon emissions when making decisions about virtual ward care within acute care settings. This involves examining experiences related to conditions such as heart failure, respiratory illnesses, and frailty.
Research Activities and Co-Design
The research project involves several key activities designed to gather comprehensive insights. A systematic review will be conducted to understand existing knowledge on patient and carer awareness of healthcare environmental impacts and carbon emissions. Following this, interviews and workshops will be held with patients and caregivers, particularly those affected by heart failure, respiratory illnesses, and frailty. These sessions will aim to gather their experiences and perspectives. A significant part of the project will involve co-designing guidance materials with patients and carers. These materials will focus on environmentally sustainable healthcare and how to make informed decisions about care options, including virtual wards.
Evaluating Implementation and Impact
Beyond gathering perspectives and co-designing tools, the research will also focus on evaluating the implementation and impact of these sustainable healthcare approaches. This involves using implementation science methods to assess how well the developed guidance and strategies are adopted and what their real-world effects are. The selected doctoral researcher will design and deliver these evaluations, exploring the practical application of the developed toolkit. Collaboration with interdisciplinary research teams and Patient Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) groups will be essential throughout this process, ensuring that the research is both scientifically rigorous and socially relevant.
Funding and Eligibility for Doctoral Study
This doctoral opportunity is fully funded, offering a significant financial benefit to successful candidates. The studentship includes an annual stipend of £21,805, along with tuition fee coverage for eligible home students. To be considered, applicants typically need a strong undergraduate degree (minimum 2:1) in a relevant field such as nursing, psychology, sociology, public health, or health sciences. A Master’s degree with at least a Merit level in a related social science or healthcare discipline is preferred. The application deadline for this specific opportunity is June 15, 2026, with interviews scheduled for the week of June 29, 2026, and a program start date of September 28, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NHS’s goal regarding carbon emissions?
The NHS in England aims for net-zero carbon emissions, targeting direct emissions by 2040 and broader emissions by 2045.
How much do acute care settings contribute to NHS emissions?
Acute hospital care accounts for about 56% of emissions related to care delivery within the NHS, making it a major focus for reduction efforts.
What are virtual wards?
Virtual wards provide care outside of traditional hospital settings, potentially lowering the carbon footprint associated with hospital buildings and patient travel.
What is the purpose of co-designing guidance materials in this research?
Co-designing guidance with patients and carers ensures that information about sustainable healthcare and care options like virtual wards is practical and relevant to their decision-making.
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