Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at Western Eye Hospital
Imperial College Healthcare has taken another step forward in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, by removing the wall supply of nitrous oxide at Western Eye Hospital and replacing it with a greener, less wasteful and cheaper alternative.Nitrous oxide is an anaesthetic gas used for sedation/pain relief, but it is also a potent greenhouse gas which is bad for the environment. This project should reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 34 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) a year on 2023-24 levels, which is the equivalent of energy used to power and heat around 14 average UK homes for year.
Decommissioning Western Eye’s entire nitrous oxide manifold (the system that delivers gas via pipelines around the hospital) was a significant undertaking involving months of careful planning to ensure there was no impact on patients. This was possible thanks to a grant secured from NHS England and the collaboration of teams across the Trust, in particular pharmacy, sustainability, estates, and anaesthetics.
Western Eye follows Charing Cross Hospital, which in 2023 became one of the first hospitals in England to decommission its entire nitrous oxide manifold at once back. The Trust plans to start work on St Mary’s Hospital in 2026. Alongside these efforts, Imperial College Healthcare is also continuing its multi-year decarbonisation programme - in line with the Trust's Green Plan and wider estate investment plan.
What is nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide has been used as an anaesthetic in healthcare for almost 200 years. But it is a potent greenhouse gas, estimated to be nearly 300 times worse than carbon dioxide for the environment. Recent research highlighted how a significant proportion of nitrous oxide emissions at older NHS hospitals is due to waste from manifolds and the associated old pipe structure.
The project was led by Dr Anesh Patel, who is an anaesthetic resident at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and a sustainability apprentice at LDN Apprenticeships, alongside the Trust sustainability team.
Dr Anesh Patel said: “Nitrous gas is the most potent greenhouse gas used at Western Eye Hospital and so this project has helped us significantly reduce our emissions.
“Thank you to the many colleagues at the Western Eye Hospital and across the Trust who worked so hard over many months to make this possible – it really was a collaborative effort, requiring experts from multiple disciplines.”
Professor Bob Klaber, director of strategy, research & innovation and net zero lead at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “This is a fantastic collaborative project and a real example of our Trust values.
“We are one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the country and are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. We have an ambitious Green Plan and this project is a key part of our goal of becoming more sustainable in the use of medicines, equipment and anaesthetic gases.
“I am grateful to the many people and teams across the Trust who contributed their time and expertise to this.”
Find out more about Imperial College Healthcare’s Green Plan.
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