Going green: what do the public think about the NHS and climate change?

A survey conducted in July 2021 revealed public concern about climate change and the NHS's role in addressing environmental issues. Despite low awareness of the NHS's net zero ambition, the majority of the public supports it. However, addressing climate change is not a top priority for the NHS. The public supports measures to reduce the NHS's carbon footprint, such as providing more environmentally friendly food, switching to low-emission ambulances, and building new hospitals to net zero standards. However, support decreases for changes directly impacting individual care. The article concludes that public support for the NHS's environmental initiatives needs to align with other health system priorities and engage patients in resolving tensions between environmental goals and individual care preferences.