DRAFT - 2028 market insights survey

DRAFT SURVEY for TESTING 

Introduction

The NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap has been developed and implemented in a collaborative approach between the NHS, suppliers and their trade associations to achieve the NHS target of reaching net zero by 2045, as set out in  Delivering a Net Zero National Health Service. This insights survey forms part of our continued efforts to work in partnership with industry in alignment with the action 21 of the Life Sciences Sector Plan. The survey questions will inform our ongoing policy development, and should not be interpreted as an indication of agreed policy.

The 2028 milestone of the Roadmap sets out the intention to introduce new requirements on carbon footprinting for products supplied to the NHS. The Five Years of a Greener NHS report established that the focus will be on high carbon emission product areas (identified as medicines, medical technologies and digital) where more granular carbon insights can deliver value on the NHS’s journey to net zero. It also clarified  the expectation that Life Cycle Assessments would not be required for every product.

Taking this next step in understanding product emissions is considered international best practice (GHG Protocol) and is intended to further inform greenhouse gas reduction approaches and areas for collaboration.

NHS England is seeking supplier views on their experience of collecting, calculating and reporting product-level carbon emissions information across medicines, medical technology and digital products. The insight survey will:

1. Confirm and clarify NHSE’s understanding of the current state of play for product carbon footprinting, drawing on previous engagement
2. Gather new information and technical considerations with an understanding of what needs to be explored further

How the 2028 milestone relates to other policies within the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap

• Carbon reduction plans and scope 3 emissions disclosure enable suppliers to identify the greatest GHG reduction opportunities across the entire corporate value chain. The product-level information milestone will enable suppliers to target individual products with the greatest potential for reductions.

How asking for product level information will drive change

• For the NHS, this will reduce reliance on less accurate spend-based data, improve collective understanding of hotspots, inform action and priority areas for engagement and future research, support impactful innovation, and improve procurement design.
  • Understanding product hotspots has helped the NHS to prioritise action reducing medicines emissions by 33% since 2019/20.
• For suppliers, this will provide recognition of good practice, improve collective understanding of hotspots, drive further collaboration, help identify opportunities for emission reduction throughout the product lifecycle and measurement of progress.
  • Leading supplier case studies report benefits including lower operational input costs, enhanced reputation, regulatory readiness, faster innovation cycles and access to funding opportunities.

The NHS does not intend to compare product-level carbon information through the procurement process, but rather to use the information to inform and refine collective understanding of emissions and hotspots, guiding decarbonisation prioritisation and action.

For clarity, the 2028 Net Zero Supplier Roadmap milestone will:

• Be co-produced with industry to ensure the requirements and the way they are embedded in the procurement process are proportionate and impactful.
• Not require lifecycle assessments for every product the NHS buys across medical technology, digital and medicines.
• Likely be gradually phased in from April 2028, focusing on priority products with maximum opportunity for impact and key procurement opportunities such as new frameworks or framework renewals.
• Wherever possible, align with emerging international standards and relevant UK government initiatives.

Responding to this survey

This survey is intended for suppliers to the NHS involved in the development, manufacture, distribution and transportation of medicines, medical technologies and digital products. A complimentary version of this survey has been prepared for the trade bodies of suppliers to the NHS (for the relevant categories stated above), which can be accessed here (link to add). NHS organisations do not need to respond, however if you have expertise and would like to share insights please get in touch via the contact details below.

Responses are limited to one per organisation and can cover more than one category where appropriate, e.g. medicines and medtech. The questions can be reviewed in PDF format ahead of completion, with many questions being optional. It should take approximately XXXXXXX minutes to complete. 

All responses will be analysed and aggregated by NHSE, with anonymised key findings shared with stakeholders including via our trade body forums and targeted supplier-facing engagement sessions. You can provide your organisation name if you wish to participate in further engagement opportunities. Any sensitive information will remain confidential. 

Please respond to this survey via Microsoft Forms by XXXXXX.  Please contact england.ccf-sustainability@nhs.net with any questions, or to request an offline copy of this survey. If you would like to be kept up to date on this work, please submit an expression of interest here (add link/QR). 

TEST survey Link: 2028 Milestone - Product Level Information DRAFT Market Insight Survey 2026 – Fill in form. Feedback from invited testers should be shared by 29th June 2026 to england.ccf-sustainability@nhs.net. Thank you for your support.

Questions about this event?

Name: nz & sustainable procurement

Email: england.ccf-sustainability@nhs.net

Telephone: 000000000