A NHS Scotland Climate Action Portfolio exists to turn ambition into a coordinated national -solutions driven – response to the growing impact of climate change on Scotland’s health and care system.
The portfolio brings together commissioned programmes across Scotland, and brings this shared effort and ambition into structured action, enabling Scotland’s health service and its partners, to connect across boundaries, respond at scale, and with pace and purpose.
Established by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with health boards and organisations across the public and private sectors, the portfolio provides a clear, structured approach to environmental sustainability. It aligns priorities, resources and expertise at a national level to support local delivery.
At its core are five coordinated national programmes, working with a common purpose to reduce environmental impact, strengthen resilience and improve how services are delivered:
Circular Economy
Building a resilient, sustainable NHS Scotland supply chain through better data, end‑to‑end visibility, and scalable circular solutions.
Energy
Reducing energy emissions and strengthening our energy resilience and supply; stabilising future energy costs, and unlocking renewable value from Scotland’s public services estate to reinvest in frontline services.
Green Healthcare
Reducing the carbon footprint of operating theatres across NHS Scotland – while supporting safe, high‑quality care.
Sustainable Prescribing
Reducing medicines waste across NHS Scotland by combining patient empowerment, digital innovation, and industry partnership to drive more sustainable, cost‑effective care.
Sustainability Action
Creating resilient, lower‑carbon NHS Scotland estates and supply chains by optimising resources, enabling climate adaptation, supporting biodiversity enhancement and nature recovery, and unlocking wider public and community value.