The UK average is 55%, according to the biennial SME-nvironment survey by environmental guidance website NetRegs.gov.uk, a partnership between the Environment Agency equivalents in each of the four UK countries.

The research found that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in healthcare, which include practices, are leading the field in energy and water efficiency improvements (37%). Almost half (49%) have cut down on their business waste and 87% recycle it.

However, just one in four plan to invest in improving their environmental performance over the next year.

Debbie Chatting, marketing strategy manager at NetRegs.gov.uk, said: ‘It's good to see improvement in the healthcare sector's green business activities, but efforts are clearly starting to fall back in many areas.'

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