At Cam and Uley Family Practice, we recognise that climate change poses a major threat to our health as well as our planet. We are working to reduce our environmental impact and improve the health of our patients, staff, and community.
Many of the actions needed to tackle climate change directly improve patient care and health and wellbeing. This is because many of the drivers of climate change are also the drivers of ill health and health inequalities.
The NHS is responsible for 4% of the UK’s carbon footprint and has made a commitment to reduce its emissions and reach carbon net zero by 2045.
You can find out more about the Greener NHS
Why is the climate crisis relevant to my health?
A warming climate affects health in 3 ways:
- Extreme weather events including flooding, heatwaves and drought. These cause detrimental effects to physical and mental health, and damage healthcare infrastructure. These events will become more common and severe with global warming.
- Effects on the planet’s life support systems e.g. rising sea levels, safe water availability. This is leading to a change in the pattern of infectious diseases and food shortages.
- Effects mediated by social systems, such as livelihood loss, rising prices of food and fuel, supply chain disruption, pressure on health and care services, conflict or forced migration.
Adapted from Climate and health: applying All Our Health
What is Cam and Uley Family Practice doing?
We are using the Green Impact for Health toolkit to make improvements across the surgery.
This includes things like:
- Sourcing fairtrade tea and coffee for our staff room
- Supporting patients to switch to more environmentally friendly inhalers
- Improving our energy efficiency
- Reducing the amount of waste we produce
- Encouraging active travel (walking, cycling) and using public transport
We have achieved a Gold Green Impact Award
What can patients do?
Everyone can do their bit. The more of us who introduce small actions into our everyday lives, the greater the impact we can have together.
Physical Activity
- Physical activity has huge benefits for both your physical and mental health.
- The greatest health benefits are seen when moving from being sedentary/minimally active, to doing some activity.
- You can find ideas and support to increase your physical activity at this link: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/
Healthy sustainable food
- Diets that are high in vegetables and low in animal products protect us from heart disease, bowel cancers and many other conditions, as well as being better for the planet.
- You can find ideas and support for a healthy sustainable diet at this link: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/
Spend Time in Nature
- Contact and connection with nature can improve both mental wellbeing and physical health.
- There are lots of different activities and organisations in our local community which can support you to connect with nature. Below are a few examples:
You can find more information about nature and health here.
Inhalers
- Some inhalers have a much higher carbon footprint than others.
- Metered dose inhalers contain propellants which are potent greenhouse gases thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The alternative, dry powder inhalers do not contain these gases, and are therefore much better for the environment. For most patients, they are as effective and often easier to use.
- If you are concerned about the possible environmental impact of your inhalers it is very important that you discuss this with your doctor or nurse, rather than just stopping your inhalers, so that any changes can be agreed and made safely.
- You can find more information about inhalers here: Inhalers
Medicines disposal
Please only order repeat medication when you need it. Contact the surgery book a medication review if you have any problems or questions about your repeat medications.
- Please return any unused medication, including inhalers, to a pharmacy for safe disposal. This reduces the chance of medication getting into the environment and harming wildlife.
- Unfortunately, plastic medication blister packs cannot be put in household recycling. You can ask your local pharmacy where you can recycle your blister packs.
Travel
- Can you walk or cycle to the surgery? You can lock up your bike around the side of both of our surgeries.
- There are bus stops near both our Cam and Uley site.
You can find lots more information at Greener Practice
Share your ideas.
Do you have ideas or suggestions for how we can become a greener practice?
Please let us know via the feedback page or join our patient participation group.