As the NHS continues its journey toward Net Zero, sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a contractual imperative. NHS Green Plans and the Greener NHS Programme have placed environmental responsibility firmly on the agenda, not only for clinical delivery but also for procurement strategy.
For Trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), this shift means evaluating suppliers and service models not just on cost and capacity, but on their carbon impact and ability to contribute to local sustainability goals.
One often-overlooked solution that aligns with both clinical and environmental priorities? Insourcing.
Sustainable Procurement: The New Normal
As of April 2023, NHS procurement frameworks began requiring suppliers to submit Carbon Reduction Plans for contracts above certain thresholds. Trusts are now tasked with choosing partners that support their Green Plans, meaning clinical efficiency must go hand-in-hand with environmental performance.
This broader lens encourages procurement leads to look beyond immediate costs and consider the total system impact:
How far are staff travelling to deliver care?
Are services using existing NHS infrastructure, or adding to environmental load?
How often are patients returning due to inefficiencies or delays?
In this context, the operational model behind a service becomes just as important as its clinical offer.
How Insourcing Supports Net Zero Goals
Insourcing (particularly when delivered within existing NHS facilities) has a clear and often under-appreciated environmental advantage.
Maximised use of NHS estate
Insourced services typically run on evenings or weekends within NHS hospitals or community sites, avoiding the need to contract with external providers who operate from separate, often travel-intensive, locations.
Local workforce deployment
At Health Now, we prioritise local or regionally-based clinicians to reduce travel time, costs, and associated emissions. This also supports community employment and reduces reliance on rotational agency staffing from across the country.
Minimised patient travel
Keeping services in NHS facilities means patients return to familiar, nearby environments, cutting down on unnecessary long-distance journeys often associated with outsourced care.
Improved pathways = fewer touchpoints
Insourcing often enables streamlined one-stop clinics and quicker diagnostics, helping reduce the number of appointments and emissions associated with multiple visits.
What Procurement Leads Should Look For
When reviewing potential insourcing partners through a sustainability lens, consider the following indicators:
Do they use existing NHS infrastructure wherever possible?
Insourcing partners should enhance, not duplicate, local resource use.
Are staff locally sourced and well-integrated?
A local clinical workforce not only lowers emissions but improves continuity and quality of care.
Is there a focus on digital processes and paperless delivery?
Digital triage, remote follow-up, and paperless onboarding all contribute to greener operations.
Do they monitor environmental impact as part of service delivery?
Transparent data reporting on travel savings, estate efficiency, or reduced appointment touchpoints can help demonstrate value beyond RTT targets.
Are they flexible and scalable?
A partner who can adjust to Trust needs avoids resource waste and supports long-term sustainability planning.
Our Approach
At Health Now, our mission is to deliver safe, flexible, and efficient care in a way that supports both patient outcomes and system sustainability.
We deploy fully vetted, professional clinical teams who work on-site in NHS facilities during periods of downtime, using existing estates to full capacity. By delivering targeted insourcing solutions that reduce unnecessary patient journeys, streamline care pathways, and minimise reliance on distant agency staff, we’re proud to support NHS partners in meeting both their elective recovery targets and their Green Plan ambitions.
If you’re a procurement lead or ICB decision-maker seeking a partner who delivers clinical excellence with environmental awareness, we’d love to speak with you.
Get in touch with our team via info@healthnow.co.uk