OXFORD University Hospitals has joined Refill Oxford to help cut down on the use of single-use plastic water bottles.

All OUH food and drink outlets – at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital, and the Horton General Hospital – are now Refill stations and display a round, blue-branded Refill sticker.

OUH staff and visitors will be invited to fill up their water bottles for free to reduce the use of the plastic water bottles across the Trust.

Energy and sustainability manager at Oxford University Hospitals Dr Vall Rasaratnam, said: “These days, we're all more aware of the impact of plastics on the environment.

"Taking part in this scheme will help us further reduce the numbers of plastic bottles and encourage people to drink more water, which is very good for health.

“We’re really pleased to get officially involved in the Refill initiative on NHS Sustainability Day because we want our NHS to be fit for the future.

“As a trust committed to improving its sustainability, this is a significant step in the direction of reducing not only our own carbon footprint, but that of the thousands of people including staff, patients, visitors and students who attend our hospitals every day.”

Programme manager at Refill Oxford, Georgina Matthews, added: “Refill Oxford is part of the growing Refill movement and making a real difference by reducing reliance on single-use plastics. We are pleased that OUH has joined the scheme too.

"Every time we refill a reusable bottle, we save our own money and the planet’s resources, and all those individual refills add up to a huge impact.”

Refillable bottles can be purchased at the John Radcliffe Women Centre to raise money for Support for Sick Newborn and their Parents (SSNAP), which supports sick and premature babies from across the Thames Valley.

The water bottles are £10 each in person and can also be bought online at www.ssnap.org.uk/shop