Environmental Sustainability Policy

We recognize that the climate and ecological emergency is also a health emergency.

 

We recognize that the health impacts of climate change are unfairly distributed and exacerbate existing health inequalities.

 

We commit to acting in both a professional and personal capacity to reduce this severe risk to public health and global health.

 

In 2025 we will benchmark current consumption at our practices to set target % reductions between 2025 and 2030.

 

We will aim to reduce direct emissions by 10 to 15% annually, achieving 100% reduction by 2045.

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What we are doing:

 

Without compromising the quality of care and patient safety, we aim to deliver our services with the minimum impact on our environment.

 

We will promote responsible ordering, using data analysis to effectively plan stock levels and reduce wastage from out-of-date stocks.

We try where possible to reduce the use of paper by encouraging staff to avoid printing documents and to correspond electronically where possible. We will buy 70% recycled printing paper, set duplex as the default printer setting and ask staff to consider whether they need to print information and mail letters.

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We will ensure there are recycling points for patients and staff. We will recycle clean paper, cardboard, glass, tins & cans, plastic bottles, food waste, printer cartridges, electrical equipment, and batteries. We will reduce or remove non-clinical single use plastic and buy recyclable batteries.

Our confidential paper waste is disposed by Shred—It, part of the Stericycle group, who collect and recycle our waste securely.

To improve energy efficiency, we encourage our colleagues to enable power save mode for intermittent use of appliances and switch off appliances and lights at the end of the day.

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Where possible, we also encourage our colleagues to cycle or use public transport to come to work rather than driving their own cars. 

We aim to educate our patients through promotional material on the benefits of a lower emission lifestyle, recognising that an increased uptake of walking and cycling can bring personal health, as well as environmental benefits.

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Prescribing:

We recognise that prescribing is the largest contributors of carbon emissions within general practice. To combat this, we will encourage:

Patient use of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS) and the NHS App

Regular medication reviews

Staff awareness and training on lower carbon prescribing alternatives

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Referring:

We ask all clinicians to be responsible referrers, reducing unnecessary investigations as good clinical practice whilst delivering the added benefit of a lower carbon footprint.

To reduce unnecessary journeys (and therefore carbon emissions) we will provide online consultation software, online access and promote the NHS App to encourage patients to utilise digital technology.