Hospitals to save £360k with new solar panels

The money would be reinvested in patient care, said an NHS trust

An NHS trust has been awarded £2.59 million by the government to install solar panels at three hospitals in West Sussex.

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust said the new panels at St. Richard's, Princess Royal and Southlands hospitals would reduce yearly energy costs by more than £360,000.

The savings would be invested into frontline care for patients at the hospitals in Chichester, Haywards Heath and Shoreham-by-Sea.

Jonathan Reid, chief finance officer for University Hospitals Sussex, says the investment not only supports sustainability but will also allow the trust to enhance the quality of services through reduced costs.

The funding is part of a £100 million investment into the NHS by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to install solar power and battery storage to reduce energy bills.

NHS England says new solar panels could save around £8.6 million a year and up to £260 million over the panels' lifetime across the NHS.