By ‘organisational’ we mean non-clinical, and 40% of the carbon footprint of primary care comes from these sources. There are some easy wins for taking action here.
The largest sections of non-clinical carbon are in energy use, followed by business services, staff travel and patient travel. (image from ‘See Sustainability’)
The largest single contribution to non-clinical carbon in primary care is from energy use. Reducing energy wastage also saves the practice money, so simple actions to help with this are win-win solutions. There are also multiple co-benefits in encouraging active travel for patients and staff.
Carbon footprinting your practice can provide a really useful focus for areas to work on.
Below is a document which summarises what each Integrated Care Board around the country is doing to help reach Net Zero goals in Primary Care. We hope this informs and inspires you to make changes in your practice.
A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product – in this case the carbon emissions associated with the running of a practice and providing healthcare to our patients.
Travel by staff and patients contributes a significant carbon burden, and the benefits of reducing fossil fuel travel go well beyond just reducing our carbon emissions.
Insulating your building reduces energy bills and carbon emissions. Low carbon energy generation, such as solar panels and air source heat pumps, are also worth considering.
By making ethical and green choices about our procurement, we can have a significant effect on the ethics and sustainable practices of the whole supply chain.
Health inequalities are exacerbated by the climate crisis. People in poorer countries and communities bear the greatest burden of harms. And the drivers of the climate crisis and health inequalities are often the same.
