Bright ideas from staff have helped save money and deliver services more efficiently. These include saving made from purchasing different medical supplies, reductions in GP prescribing costs and changes to the way we organise and deliver services. Collectively, they have also helped us meet our financial targets and come in on budget for 2013/14.
This year, the Scottish Government has increased our budget by 3.6% and, while this uplift is welcome, we still face financial challenges in the years ahead and therefore need to live within our means.
For example, we’ve all seen big rises in our home energy bills and NHS Forth Valley faces similar increases – but on a much larger scale. We currently spend over £4 million per year on fuel costs to heat and light our hospitals and health centres, equivalent to £650 for every member of staff each year! And although our printing costs have dropped in the past year we are still spending more than £1m annually.
Small changes can make a difference so please help by:-
- switching off photocopiers, computers and monitors when not in use and before you leave work
- switching off lights in rooms which are not being used – including communal areas such as toilets and meeting rooms
- switching off or turning down heating in areas that aren’t being used
- only use colour copies when really necessary as they cost up to 7 times more than black and white
- use 2nd class for non urgent mail and addressing mail correctly – including internal post.
More tips and advice can be found on the Energy and Utilities pages on the Facilities Dept section of the Staff Intranet
