3 minute read
Greener Practice Flies Sustainability Flag at Primary Care Show!
An eye-catching stand, featuring plants, flowers and greenery, cultivated many positive
conversations with clinicians about sustainability at the Primary Care Show at the NEC in
Birmingham earlier this month.
Greener Practice Directors Dr Honey Smith and Dr Katrina Davies were on hand to talk to Show visitors about the advantages of switching to more sustainable ways of working – and how Greener Practice can help. As part of the conference programme, Honey and Katrina gave a talk entitled ‘Save time, save money, and re-energise your team: Greener Practice in action’, sharing with the audience greater insight into the issues and the solutions available.
This was the first time for Greener Practice at the two day event, which is now in its fourth decade and this year took place on 20-21 May. It was attended by thousands of health care professionals from across the country, providing valuable opportunities for networking as well as raising awareness of Greener Practice.
Commenting on the experience, Honey said, “It was really encouraging to meet so many people who are interested in what we’re doing. Some were already aware of sustainability issues and wanted to find out how they can do more, including a few practice managers who were ready to join Greener Practice on the spot, which was lovely. Others were unaware what we stand for and it was great to see their reactions when we explained that the approaches we advocate can also save time and money, in addition to improving patient care and staff well-being. Many people asked to see the Quality Improvement Projects we offer which might help with improving staff morale.”
We were able to explain the benefits of Greener Practice membership and how little it costs. People were surprised that the time commitment to bring about positive changes, with the help of Greener Practice resources and support, is also much less than they imagined.
Katrina added, “It was striking how the idea of creating a practice garden, more than anything, really seemed touch the heart in many of the conversations we had – perhaps it was the beautiful display of locally-grown alliums on our stand! There seems to be a real desire out there to introduce plants into general practice, and an instinctive understanding of how greenery can enhance well-being for patients and staff, as well as supporting nature. We were able to highlight the resources available to Greener Practice members, which include a step-by-step plan to make a practice garden a reality in just a few weeks, even in situations where there isn’t much space. We know from our members what a difference a simple measure like this can make. Of course, there are many more changes clinicians can make to become more sustainable, but a practice garden is a very good place to start.”