At a glance: 

• The biochemistry laboratory at The Royal Oldham Hospital has achieved platinum level My Green Lab certification. 

• The team scored highly for sustainability culture, resource management, and equipment efficiency. 

• This supports the NCA’s Green Plan and highlights its leadership in climate-conscious healthcare. 

NCA awarded platinum My Green Lab certification for sustainability excellence

The biochemistry laboratory at The Royal Oldham Hospital has been named one of the greenest in the country, after achieving platinum level certification.  

This internationally-recognised accreditation from My Green Lab marks the highest standard of achievement in laboratory sustainability and demonstrates the Trust’s ongoing commitment to greener, more responsible healthcare practices. 

Lubomyra Szymanskyj, technical manager in the biochemistry laboratory at The Royal Oldham Hospital, which is part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) said: “The My Green Lab programme is a useful tool to establish how sustainable the activities in the laboratory are and how to improve.” 

The My Green Lab certification, which is endorsed by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, reflects progress across key areas such as energy and water conservation, waste reduction, procurement, and staff engagement.  

This achievement aligns with the NCA’s Green Plan, reinforcing the Trust’s leadership in climate-conscious healthcare delivery. 

NCA’s success was supported by sustainability partner Siemens Healthineers, who are the exclusive My Green Lab certification partner for clinical laboratories across the UK and EU. 

The department scored particularly highly in sustainability culture, resource management, and equipment management. This included implementing a sustainability strategy with colleague training, maintaining equipment to ensure peak performance, minimising reagent waste through strict inventory controls, and reducing unnecessary testing. 

Lubomyra added: "The project confirmed that the biochemistry department at The Royal Oldham Hospital was already well under way in implementing strategies to work towards delivering a Net Zero NHS. Taking part in the My Green Lab Certification programme has helped raise awareness in the laboratory with staff and will help create a positive culture change with staff working together towards the NCA Green Plan.” 

Cesar Vieira Soares, NCA partnership manager, Siemens said: “The biochemistry department worked tirelessly as a team to achieve this certification in a remarkably short period. This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to building a more sustainable way of practicing, one that continues to evolve with every step we take.”