Last month (30 September 2021) saw the Government's Procurement Policy Note PPN 06/21 on taking account of carbon reduction plans in procurement come into force (you can read our earlier post on this PPN here). The obligations set out in PPN 06/21 do not apply to NHS Trusts or Foundation Trusts – yet! They are relevant to central government only.
The NHS intends to adopt PPN 06/2021 from April 2023 (Greener NHS ) as part of the journey laid out in the Net Zero Supplier Roadmap. PPN 06/21 obligations would apply to all contracts with an annual value of over £5 million, and then to all contracts from April 2024. Therefore, PPN 06/21, as well as providing a point of reference for NHS contracting authorities when considering environmental issues, is something we will need to eventually familiarise ourselves with.
To find out more about PPN 06/21, head over to our sister blog, Procurement Portal.