Nurses from Guy’s and St Thomas’ making patient visits in Lambeth are being offered the use of e-cargo bikes. All but immune to congestion and with fewer restrictions on parking, it is hoped the vehicles will reduce travel times as well as emissions.
Members of the Mawbey Brough neighbourhood nursing team have previously driven, walked, used public transport or cycled on their own bikes to get to patients.
They can now sign up to a pilot that will give them use of an e-bike with cargo carrying capacity for their rucksack and equipment.
Nurses are being asked to complete at least one cycle training session and wear a helmet and hi-vis.
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Participants have so far covered around 250 miles and saved around 34kg of CO2 compared to using public transport or 59kg compared to driving.
Cheyenne Morgan sees up to 10 patients a day in their own homes, providing a range of support, including insulin, wound care, catheter changes and palliative care.
“I love riding a bike and prefer it to using the bus or walking,” she said. “It reduces the time it takes to get to my patients, and I don’t feel the weight of my rucksack because it can go into the cargo hold. It’s a great alternative to driving and reduces our carbon footprint while helping me to keep fit.”
Neighbourhood nurse Sunday Falolu added: “It’s faster than being in a car. While they are stuck in traffic, I can get through to my destination without any delays. I’ve become fitter using the e-bikes, and they don’t produce any gases so we’re helping the environment.”
Lawrence Tallon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “Electric bikes are a speedy, eco-friendly and healthy way for our staff to get around. This initiative supports our ambitious plan to reach net zero carbon emissions from our own vehicles and to see significant reductions in emissions from staff and patient travel by 2031.”
The Trust has also switched to e-cargo bikes when transporting some blood and tumours for testing between Guy's Hospital and St Thomas' Hospital. Deliveries had previously been made by vans and motorbikes.
Last year we reported how medication delivery times to Oxford NHS sites mad been halved by switching to e-cargo bikes. Previously, one van carried out several runs between a medical production facility and two hospital sites, but local delivery firm Pedal and Post now use three cyclists, who make five or six runs daily, directly to the hospitals.
