Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter today announced nearly 70 schemes across the country which will reduce the NHS energy bill by up to £13.7m per year.

As well as helping to cut carbon emissions and save the environment, all the money saved in energy bills will be redirected to front line patient care.

The expected saving of £13.7m a year is enough to pay for 18,500 cataract operations or 2,300 hip replacements.

As well as financial savings these schemes will save almost 200 million kilowatts in energy consumption and reduce CO2 emissions up to 5.6 million tonnes a year.

The winning schemes include:

• Cornwall Partnership Foundation Trust have been given £525,000 for electric cars, new conferencing equipment and a more efficient appointments system, set to reduce staff travel by 750,000 miles a year. This will save up to £326,069 a year.

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• Addenbrookes Hospital have been given £58,618 to remove and replace insulation for boilers and pipes, to reduce wasted heat energy and help them to better control temperatures. This will save up to £61,163 a year.

• St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals have been given £22,094 to install a new system to automatically shut down idle and inactive computers. This will save up to £57,000 a year.

Dr Poulter said: "This summer I launched the procurement roadmap showing how our NHS could be run more efficiently and how we could reduce the running costs of NHS buildings and estates. These energy efficiency schemes will help our NHS to make £13.7 million of savings each and every year.

"Winter is fast approaching and we are all looking at ways to reduce our energy bills while keeping our homes warm and well-lit. Our NHS is one of the largest users of energy in the country. And just like the rest of us, hospitals should be doing everything they can to reduce the amount they spend.

"These schemes demonstrate the easy ways our NHS can make improvements to help power hospitals more efficiently, save on energy bills, and reduce their carbon emissions. Money saved will be reinvested directly in to patient care.

"As well as saving on energy waste and energy bills, the £50 million will help support local businesses. Hospital Trusts have used local tradespeople - like plumbers and electricians - to do work like replacing old and insufficient heating and lighting systems. This means the money has helped boost local business, as well as the UK economy."

(CD/JP)