The NHS has committed to one of the most ambitious sustainability goals in healthcare—reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. It’s a bold and necessary move, considering the NHS is responsible for around 4-5% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. To get there, every trust has been asked to implement a Green Plan, a framework designed to reduce emissions, cut waste, and deliver more sustainable healthcare without compromising patient care.
Telehealth is fast emerging as a key player in this transformation. While most people associate telehealth with convenience and efficiency, few realise how it contributes to decarbonising the NHS. Based on the NHS Green Plan guidance and my ongoing research into telehealth in community health settings, here’s why virtual care is more than a digital upgrade.
Reducing travel and transport emissions
One of the most direct ways telehealth supports net zero is by slashing transport-related emissions. Every avoided trip to a GP surgery, hospital, or clinic means fewer cars on the road. In fact, NHS England estimates that patient and staff travel accounts for approximately 14% of NHS-related emissions.
Virtual consultations mean patients no longer have to travel for many routine check-ups or follow-ups. This reduces private car usage, cuts down on public transport reliance, and even minimises unnecessary ambulance call-outs, especially when remote triage or monitoring can prevent hospital admissions.
It goes beyond just patients. Clinicians and community healthcare workers also benefit. They can switch between in-person and remote appointments, reducing the number of miles driven and, in turn, the organisation’s carbon footprint. Even family members, who often accompany vulnerable patients, make fewer trips.
Less travel has another side effect—less demand for car parks and parking infrastructure. Over time, this could reduce the need for new parking facilities and the embedded carbon associated with their construction.
Lower demand on buildings
Telehealth helps trusts rethink how much physical space they actually need. Fewer in-person appointments mean some services can be delivered in smaller buildings or through hybrid models. Less reliance on large clinics and waiting areas means lower energy demands—less heating, cooling, lighting, and water usage.
With NHS buildings accounting for a significant chunk of operational emissions, every square metre saved matters. Plus, fewer patients walking through clinic doors results in reduced demand for single-use items like disposable PPE and paper records. There’s also a knock-on effect in reducing the amount of waste generated by physical appointments.
Digitalisation as a Decarbonisation Tool
Digitising healthcare services is a direct route to energy and resource efficiency. Telehealth pushes healthcare towards paperless systems. Digital patient records, electronic prescriptions, and virtual consultations cut down on paper consumption and reduce the need to transport paper-based files.
Remote monitoring also plays a critical role here. Devices that allow patients to record their vital signs at home and share them digitally with clinicians reduce the need for frequent in-person check-ups. This saves on the resources used in facilities and minimises the emissions linked to transporting medical supplies and samples.
Additionally, moving more services to cloud-based systems, which tend to be more energy-efficient than local data centres, further reduces carbon output. With fewer face-to-face tests and procedures, even the production and disposal of chemical waste—such as cleaning agents and lab reagents—can be significantly reduced.
Prevention as a Sustainability Strategy
Telehealth isn’t just reactive—it’s proactive. By making healthcare more accessible, especially for those managing chronic conditions, virtual care can help prevent minor health issues from escalating into emergencies. Preventative care is inherently more sustainable than emergency interventions, which tend to be resource-intensive and carbon-heavy.
For instance, virtual appointments reduce the pressure on A&E departments by managing non-urgent cases remotely. Better chronic disease management through remote monitoring leads to fewer hospital admissions and less need for ambulance transport. Virtual consultations also enable specialists to connect with patients in remote or underserved areas without either party needing to travel long distances.
Even the small stuff adds up. Fewer in-person visits mean fewer gowns and sheets needing laundering, which cuts energy and water consumption linked to hospital laundry services.
More Than Just Carbon Savings
What makes telehealth such a strong asset in achieving the NHS net zero goal is how it balances environmental and clinical priorities. It doesn’t just cut emissions—it also improves patient outcomes and healthcare system efficiency. By reducing unnecessary travel, optimising resources, and supporting preventative care, telehealth enhances access while helping build a more sustainable NHS.
The NHS Green Plan is clear—sustainability isn’t a tick-box exercise; it’s a shift in how healthcare is delivered. Telehealth, through its ability to decarbonise operations while maintaining or even improving quality of care, is already proving itself essential to this mission.
As my own research into telehealth in community health settings continues, it’s clear that these technologies are doing more than streamlining care—they’re helping secure a greener future for healthcare.
Virtual Health Hub 