MORE than 300 trees will be planted at Bradford Royal Infirmary over the next few months to reduce the hospital’s carbon footprint and give patients and staff the feel-good factor.

Hospital workers will make a start by planting 60 native trees including oak, silver birch and cherry blossom, on the Temple Bank car park site near to the Bradford Institute for Health Research, off Smith Lane.

Bradford Teaching Hospitals chairman Professor Lord Kamlesh Patel and chief executive Professor Clive Kay joined the planting to mark NHS Sustainability Day celebrating efforts of NHS hospitals and other healthcare organisations across the country to become greener.

Lord Patel said: “It’s been fascinating to learn about our tree-planting programme and how improvements in the natural environment can bring positive health benefits to patients. Something as simple as viewing trees from a hospital bed can have a therapeutic effect."

NHS Forest, a project run by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, has supplied the trees which will be planted by hospital gardeners.

which will all be planted by hospital gardeners, community volunteers and interested patients.

NHS environment and sustainability manager, Ian Buckle added: “We count ourselves very fortunate that we have large green spaces right next to our site and look forward to planting more trees in the coming months as we continue working with partners and neighbours to make our estate even greener.”