A North East trust has achieved silver status in a national environmental scheme.

Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust has been awarded the accreditation by Investors in the Environment (iiE), a scheme recognising organisations for their sustainability efforts.

The trust initially aimed for bronze but surpassed expectations, achieving 77 per cent, and therefore gaining silver accreditation.

This level requires continual development of an Environmental Management System, implementation of a travel plan, improved waste management, and effective staff communication and engagement.

The trust's emergency department, based at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington, has also received silver-level accreditation from the Green ED Royal College of Emergency Medicine, one of only two in the country.

Head of sustainability Clare Winter said: "Both accreditations are an incredible achievement for our emergency department and our trust.

"These achievements not only encompass the work of the sustainability and Green ED but also wider staff within our trust who have supported our developments and have embraced change in order to contribute to our net zero goal."

The trust is now planning future projects in line with its net zero action plan, including advancing waste management processes, working on sustainable procurement models, and going paperless to contribute to the trust’s net zero target.