Trambulance- an innovate transport model, aligning healthcare delivery with sustainable development: a case study from the northern care alliance NHS foundation trust, UK

The integration of sustainability principles within healthcare organisations is critical to enhancing environmental, social, and economic outcomes. This case study examines the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA), a major healthcare provider serving over 1 million people across Greater Manchester, and its strategic alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By leveraging a comprehensive value chain mapping exercise and Materiality Matrix analysis, the NCA has identified transport-related emissions, accounting for 10% of the NHS’s carbon footprint, as a key sustainability challenge. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of integrating public transport infrastructure with healthcare delivery through the proposed social innovation, ‘Trambulance’- an integrated public transport solution developed through a potential partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester. Specifically, the research seeks to assess the operational and economic implications of ‘Trambulance’ while developing a potentially replicable framework for sustainable healthcare transport. The initiative incorporates the Future Fit Business Framework to guide an ongoing commitment to sustainable development, providing a theoretical framework that aligns organisational goals with global sustainability targets. The findings underscore the importance of integrating SDGs into healthcare operations, offering valuable insights for other healthcare providers seeking to enhance their sustainability practices, particularly those serving metropolitan areas with existing public transport infrastructure. This article contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable healthcare by demonstrating practical methods for embedding sustainability into healthcare operations.