Falmouth and Penryn primary care network electrifies fleet

Falmouth and Penryn primary care network (PCN) has introduced a fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) into its day-to-day operations.

The PCN, which consists of Penryn Surgery, Trescobeas Surgery, Westover Surgery and Falmouth Health Centre has invested in four Skoda Citigo-e vehicles, funded by Lex Autolease, that will be operated by GPs and healthcare professionals during routine home appointment visits and prescription deliveries.

Cornwall-based Penryn Surgery will control and manage the use of the fleet of vehicles across the PCN which together supports more than 48,000 patients across the region.

Ryan Ohly, managing partner at Penryn Surgery, said: “This is a huge step forward for the surgeries across the PCN and our commitment to operating more sustainably.

“GPs and healthcare practitioners make relatively short journeys of up to 30 miles a day to visit our patients, so it appeared a no brainer to explore switching to low-emission vehicles to streamline our operations and help to reduce our carbon footprint.

“The feedback we’ve received from colleagues has been incredible and I hope that our electrification journey can pave the way for more surgeries and primary care networks across the country to realise the potential that electric vehicles can bring.”

The switch to EVs replaces the PCN’s business mileage scheme, which saw practitioners operating private, heavy-diesel vehicles for business use before being reimbursed for their travel.

The move was supported by Lex Autolease’s partner DriveElectric, which provides advice vehicle lease options for business customers looking to make the switch to electric.

The 100% reduction in CO2 vehicle emissions forms part of the surgery’s long-term drive to lower its overall carbon footprint.

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