A toolkit has been launched by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) suggesting a range of everyday steps physicians can take to help the NHS reach its net zero goal and mitigate the risks of climate change.
The Green Physician Toolkit also brings together the evidence showing the impact of climate change on health, in order to educate and raise awareness of the issue among physicians. Case studies from across the NHS showcase how physicians can adopt these actions into their day-to-day practice.
‘Changes to clinical practice and how care is delivered, whether large or small, will make an important contribution to reducing the environmental impact of the health service‘, the RCP said.
The measures suggested by the RCP that physicians can take to help mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change include:
- Reducing unnecessary prescribing by using shared decision-making approaches with patients to reduce the environmental burden of medications that are no longer useful
- Generating less waste
- Reducing blood testing where clinically appropriate
- Advocating for sustainable practices such as including sustainability as a standing item in all clinical governance meetings
- Limiting the environmental impact of travel and holding remote consultations where clinically appropriate
- Participating in sustainable quality improvement projects within your organisation through a Green Team competition
- Communicating with patients about climate change and how their health is impacted by factors like heatwaves or air pollution so they can better manage their condition and understand how to protect themselves.
The NHS is responsible for around 40% of the UK’s public sector emissions and 4% of total emissions and the health service in England has committed to reaching net zero on all direct emissions by 2040.
The RCP said that all physicians have a vital role to play in helping the NHS reach this goal – and that changes to clinical practice and how care is delivered, whether large or small, will contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the health service.
It added that supporting patients to understand how climate change will affect their health is particularly important for older patients, young children, pregnant women and those with long-term health conditions like cardiovascular diseases and asthma.
Professor Ramesh Arasaradnam, RCP academic vice president, said: ‘Those working in the NHS will be some of the first to see the health effects of climate change, if they have not done so already. The need to act has never been more urgent and we hope that our Green Physician Toolkit will support the physician community with small steps that can make a difference.
‘It can of course be challenging to prioritise sustainability at a time when there is very high demand for clinical care, but we have to keep in mind that reducing climate change and its health impacts is part of reduced pressure on the NHS in the long-term.’
RCP special adviser on sustainability and consultant nephrologist, Dr Mark Harber, reiterated this point and added: ‘The priority for NHS staff will always be giving patients the best possible care – especially in the current context of high pressure and growing waiting lists. But the health impacts of climate change are increasingly visible, and as healthcare professionals, it would be irresponsible to ignore the increasing impact that climate change will have on patient health. It is important to support patients in mitigating the risk to their health.’
Earlier this year, a sustainability project aiming to reduce the waste being incinerated in operating theatres by 215kg a year was launched by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, along with an initiative to replace single-use hats with named reusable fabric hats for staff working in operating theatres.
