Thirteen health centres in Hull are becoming some of the most-sustainable medical facilities in the country, thanks in part to an ambitious programme of lighting replacement.

Healthcare estates management company, Hull Citycare, has been working with Sewell Facilities Management across its 13 health centres in the city to replace almost 7,000 light fittings with low-energy LEDs, dramatically reducing energy usage and costs and lessening their carbon footprint.

The project is being funded and operated through the NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) programme, and, as well as using less energy, the LEDs are brighter than standard compact fluorescent lighting, providing cost savings and lasting up to 10 years – 10 times longer than a normal light bulb.

Lighting the way

The final light of the programme was recently fitted by Sewell FM technician, Andy Richardson, at Elliott Chappell Health Centre, making Hull the only city to have all its health centres fully fitted with LEDs.

Community Health Partnerships is the head tenant at 308 healthcare buildings, built under the LIFT programme in England.

And so far 24 of its buildings are fully LED lit, with 13 of those in Hull, making the city a leader in energy-efficient lighting.

The scheme, which has taken two years to complete, was started when Sewell FM wanted to find a new way to help Hull Citycare save time, money, and energy.

A win-win situation

Sean Henderson, managing director of Sewell FM, who manages building maintenance for the health centres, said: “Decarbonisation is at the top of everyone’s priority list at the moment, so when Sewell Facilities Management came to us saying they could reduce energy consumption and also save money, it seemed like a win-win situation.

“It is already saving the health centres thousands of pounds every year, which is money that can be spent on clinical services and making the health centres even better for patients.”

Tim Wigglesworth, chief executive of Hull Citycare, added: “Our primary and community buildings are crucial healthcare estate, aligning to the NHS net zero ambitions.

Sewell FM technicians, Andy Richardson, (left) and Craig Webb fit the last light at Chappell Health Centre

“The stainability agenda is a key driver for CHP and we understand the importance of this to our tenants.

“Being able to deliver sustainable facilities and value for money has never been so important and we are delighted that 100% of Hull Citycare buildings now have LED lights – resulting in significant environmental and financial savings across the health system.”

Improving efficiency

Changing a traditional lightbulb in a health centre is not easy as you need to close off the space, put up barriers, and sometimes even bring in mobile elevating working platforms to reach fittings in higher and difficult-to-reach areas.

This causes disruption for building users and staff, takes facilities teams away from urgent jobs, and then, a year or so after you have put the new lightbulb in, it needs replacing again.

After trialling LEDs at Bilton Health Centre, the team knew the benefits that moving to LEDs would bring for the buildings, patients, and staff, so agreed to pay for and fit the new lights to all the health centres.

The buildings now have much-longer-lasting lights that do not need changing every year, freeing up estates teams to carry out more-important works.

The 13 CHP healthcare buildings which have been upgraded are:

• Alexandra Health Care Centre
• Bilton Grange Health Centre
• Bransholme Health Centre
• Elliott Chappell Health Centre
• Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre
• Kingswood Health Centre
• Longhill Health Centre
• Marfleet Primary Health Care Centre
• Newington Health Care Centre
• Orchard Park
• Park Health & Social Care Centre
• The Calvert Centre
• The Wilberforce Health Centre