A network of GP practices in Cornwall has added four electric Skoda Citigo iVs to its fleet, with support from leasing company Lex Autolease.
The Falmouth and Penryn Primary Care Network, which consists of Penryn Surgery, Trescobeas Surgery, Westover Surgery, and Falmouth Health Centre, has taken on the cars for use by GPs and healthcare professionals for routine home appointment visits and prescription deliveries.
The new EVs replace the network’s business mileage scheme, which saw practitioners operating private diesel vehicles for business use before being reimbursed for their travel.
Penryn Surgery managing partner Ryan Ohly 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.”
Mike Craigie, healthcare relationship manager at Lex’s parent company Lloyds Bank, said: “It’s been encouraging to see the positive take up of fully electric vehicles by the staff at Penryn Surgery and across the primary care network.
“Ryan and his team have worked incredibly hard to integrate the vehicles into day-to-day operations and unlock the cost-saving potential that the fleet of vehicles delivers.
“We look forward to continuing to develop electrification solutions to help them achieve their sustainability goals.”
