Following October’s groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on our new Emergency Care Building, several initiatives within the Future Hospitals programme are starting to take shape. One such initiative is our commitment to social value. Sharon Tucker, Social Value Lead, shares insights into what social value means in reality, and some of the exciting projects already underway…
“I recently took on the role of Social Value Lead for the Future Hospital Programme. Social value is about the positive impact an organisation creates for society and the environment. The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 is a UK law that requires public authorities to consider how they can secure wider social, economic, and environmental benefits when commissioning services.
Within the Emergency Care Building programme, I’m working closely with our construction partner, Willmott Dixon, on joint social value projects (under their commitments in the original tender) which will increase training, employment, benefit the local community and help us achieve some of our sustainability goals. As an anchor institution, these also link to the ambitions of Plymouth’s Civic Engagement Agreement. I’m also working with the national team to establish ‘best practice’ in social value reporting.
Willmott Dixon are participating in the Plymouth-wide ‘Adopt a School programme’, working specifically with Notre Dame, and a variety of initiatives are planned, including a joint careers event in March with our Apprenticeship team, health awareness campaigns, and sustainability training.
Social value also focuses on how we can contribute to the local economy. Over the next few months, you will see an increase in the number of cabins onsite as we prepare in early 2026 to launch the Building Lives Academy, bringing apprentices and trainees to the team, thereby increasing employment and work experience opportunities for the local community, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Internally, the Business Change Managers and I have been gathering staff feedback to identify areas where we can make positive changes. This includes potential improvements to our external environment and the development of community health awareness campaigns.
Our first project focused on enhancing the external environment and boosting biodiversity. On 20 October, we headed out into the rain transforming spaces by Maternity and nearby car parks into wildflower meadows. As the meadows develop, we will conduct surveys to measure the increase in butterflies and other pollinators. A big thank you to Willmott Dixon for funding this work and the wonderful volunteers from Sphere Solutions and YGS Landscapes”.
In this issue:
- Getting to know Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive
- We reached the highest point of the Plymouth Community Diagnostic Centre
- Groundbreaking ceremony marks start of construction for new Emergency Care Building
- Strengthening the Trust’s Social Value
- Official opening of the Dartmoor Building #ThinkUTC
- We treated the first patient in the UK with a new laser catheter for vascular disease
- Young Persons’ Patient Council Marks Its First Year of Making a Difference
- Improving Lives Plymouth showcase their support to patients beyond hospital care