NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) has updated its Medical and Industrial Gases (including cylinders and bulk liquid oxygen) framework agreement, expanding it to the wider public sector alongside the NHS.
The refreshed framework allows organisations to source gases quickly and compliantly from fully vetted suppliers.
The updated agreement is structured across four lots and introduces a dedicated “Sustainable Solutions – Technology Products and Services” offer. This supports the NHS Long Term Plan goal to reduce the carbon footprint of anaesthetic gases, including nitrous oxide, by 40%.
Anaesthetic gases have a notable environmental impact. For example, a single bottle of desflurane has a carbon footprint equivalent to burning 440 kg of coal, while up to 30% of nitrous oxide in canisters can go unused. The Sustainable Solutions offer includes:
- Nitrous oxide destruction units that capture and break down waste gas.
- ‘One touch’ digital cylinders providing real-time usage data to reduce consumption and waste.
- Analgesic Gas Mixing and Delivery Systems that deliver precise volumes, support recycling, reduce environmental hazards, and cut costs.
The framework also covers industrial gases, enabling organisations such as emergency services and educational institutions to access safe, sustainable supplies.
William Mitten, Category Manager – Health, NHS SBS, said: “The environmental case for action is clear. Capturing and destroying nitrous oxide could cut more than a third of NHS anaesthetic emissions… By embedding these solutions into the latest iteration of our framework agreement, organisations gain access to quality assured products and services that meet current regulatory standards, reduce risk and ensure safe use for customers and patients."
NHS SBS highlights that technologies trialled in Sweden for over 16 years could, if scaled across 132 NHS trusts, save around 90 kilotonnes of CO₂ equivalent, with potential reductions in nitrous emissions of up to 75%.
The framework also provides monitoring, tracking, and cylinder management tools to reduce waste, improve efficiency, and support circular economy approaches across the public sector.
