Why we need the wider NHS to embrace rooftop solar - Dr Matt Sawyer
After nearly two decades working as a GP, I’ve seen my fair share of NHS funding crises. Every winter, the headlines are the same: overwhelmed hospitals, staff shortages and soaring costs. But there’s help sitting quietly on the rooftops of a few forward-thinking NHS sites, which could be transformational if rolled out on a larger scale: solar panels.
That’s why the government’s recent announcement of a £200m investment in solar panels and battery storage systems for NHS hospitals and schools is such welcome news. This initiative, the first major project from state-owned GB Energy, is expected to reduce energy costs across the public sector. Around 200 NHS sites in England will benefit, with hospitals projected to save an average of £45,000 a year on their energy bills which could be redirected into patient care.
But while this is a significant step forward, it doesn’t go far enough. To truly harness the potential of solar power, this initiative must be extended to primary care facilities – GP surgeries, pharmacies and dental practices – where the impact on patients could be even more immediate and personal.
I’ve worked with GP practices that installed solar panels on their roofs. One practice spent around £20,000 on installation – a significant investment, but one that paid off in just five years. From that point on, the panels generate free electricity for the next two decades, with annual savings of around £4,000 based on today’s energy costs. That’s not just a line on a balance sheet – it’s money for extra staff meaning additional physiotherapy appointments, extra nursing hours or more rapid access to mental health support. On a larger scale, the savings are even more compelling. I recently visited Hull’s Castle Hill Hospital, where a solar field powers a large portion of the trust’s operations. The sight was beautiful – sheep grazing under the panels while the hospital harnessed clean energy. Knowing that every consultation, every computer, and every lifesaving piece of equipment was being powered by sunlight felt genuinely moving.
The savings here are substantial. At Castle Hill we’re talking up to £250,000 per month – money that stays in the NHS instead of going to energy companies. Imagine what that could mean: shorter waiting lists, better rehab services or more investment in cancer treatment.
The beauty of solar power in healthcare is how immediate and measurable the benefits are. This isn’t about vague environmental targets – it’s about tangible, local impacts that people can feel.
I’ve seen NHS sites go even further. In Staffordshire, one trust used the money saved from their solar panels to help people living in energy poverty through a community fund ‘Beat the cold’. By providing funds to heat homes during winter, they prevented cold-related illnesses and reduced hospital admissions. It was a rare but perfect example of preventative healthcare in action – funded by the sun.
The government’s current initiative rightly focuses on larger NHS sites, but it’s missing a massive opportunity in primary care. There are over 6,000 GP practices across the country – many with roofs suitable and crying out for solar panels. Smaller sites like pharmacies, opticians, and dental practices could slash their overheads and redirect those savings into patient care.
The solution is simple: we need a government-backed Solar Investment Fund specifically for primary care. Practices could borrow from the fund to pay for solar installations, then gradually repay the loan using their energy savings. The result? No additional cost to taxpayers and a self-sustaining system that pumps money back into patient care for decades to come.
The financial benefits of solar panels are reason enough for mass adoption – but there’s another compelling factor: improved public health.
Right now, a significant portion of the NHS’s energy comes from burning fossil fuels, which worsens air quality and contributes to respiratory illnesses. By switching to solar, NHS sites could reduce their emissions and help protect the very people they are tasked with caring for. Fewer emissions mean fewer cases of asthma and other pollution-related conditions.
I’ve spoken to people living near waste incinerators and fossil-fuel power plants. They know all too well the price of dirty energy: poorer air quality, more hospital visits, and ultimately, shorter lives. Solar power offers a cleaner, healthier alternative. And when the NHS leads by example, it sets a powerful precedent for communities to follow.
When I think about the future of healthcare, I imagine more hospitals like Castle Hill. I picture GP practices with solar-covered roofs, generating free electricity for decades. I see smaller energy bills and larger clinical teams.
The government’s recent solar initiative is a huge step forward. But it mustn’t stop at hospitals. To truly transform the NHS, we need to bring solar power to the entire healthcare system – including primary care.
Dr Matt Sawyer runs SEE Sustainability, a consultancy covering sustainability issues facing healthcare.