Stevenage hospital lightbulb plan to 'save £1m a year'

The lights will be replaced in every ward, theatre, clinic and office at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Hertfordshire

An NHS trust says it expects to save £1m per year in electricity costs by swapping fluorescent lightbulbs for LED lighting in one of its hospitals.

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust was awarded a grant of more than £1m by the government to install the energy efficient lighting.

It said bulbs would be replaced in every ward, theatre, clinic and office at Lister Hospital in Stevenage.

About 20,000 fittings will be switched over the next month.

Karen McConnell, the deputy chair of the trust, said it was an "important step forward" towards sustainability.

She added that it was "one of several projects we're progressing to decarbonise our hospital sites".

The £1.1m grant was awarded by the NHS National Energy Efficiency Fund, which has worked to reduce operating costs by investing in green projects and transfer any savings back into front-line care.

Other sustainable projects being worked on by the trust include a new waste management plan, implementing an alterative to single-use containers and switching its vehicle fleet to electric.

On Tuesday, Peterborough hospital received a £3.75m grant from the same fund to carry out similar work.