NHS Property Services publishes Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Report

NHS Property Services (NHSPS) has released its first Climate-Related Financial Disclosure Report, ahead of the Government’s 2024 deadline.

The report identifies key environmental risks that could impact the NHSPS portfolio of more than 2,700 NHS properties, and outlines steps being taken to build resilience by integrating climate adaptation into its overall business strategy.

The document also demonstrates the ways in which NHSPS – a leading advisor and enabler within the property sector – is centred on delivering high-quality environments to its occupiers, while providing system-wide efficiencies and savings to the NHS.

Providing a summary of NHSPS’ 2022 financial year Climate-related Financial Disclosures (CRFD) – in line with the Companies (Strategic Report) Climate-related Financial Disclosure Regulations 2022 – the report covers four thematic areas: governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets, as per the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) recommendations.

Director of responsible Business for NHSPS, Dr Shamir Ghumra, said: “There is a renewed sense of urgency on the climate crisis; the physical, environmental, and human impacts are becoming more extreme and more frequent.

“I am pleased that we have produced this report ahead of our need to do so.

“This gives us more time to act and make specific interventions to our estate, which serves thousands of customers and patients every single day.

“It is through these choices that we strengthen our position as an environmentally-sustainable infrastructure provider for the NHS, both now and in the future.”

Physical evidence of NHSPS’ commitment to climate mitigation, preparedness, and climate resilience is already being documented through projects such as the recently-completed flagship Devizes Health Centre in Wiltshire, one of the NHS’s first net-zero buildings, which uses green technology such as heat pumps and solar panels to generate electricity and heat.

The new report, its pillars, and the climate-related risk assessment, undertaken using cutting edge climate science technology, will be used by NHSPS as a basis for strengthening its long-term planning and risk mitigation prioritisation.

Dr Ghumra said: “The risk assessment has not only highlighted areas NHSPS is already delivering under the four pillars of the TCFD recommendations, but also areas of consideration and improvement, establishing a strong foundation for NHSPS to continue to develop and integrate climate-related risks and opportunities into our operations and management processes.”