A Greener NHS in H&F Primary Care

Sustainability in Primary Care & Achieving Net Zero

Climate Change poses a major threat to our health aswell as our planet. In 2020 the NHS set ambitious aims to deliver a Net Zero National Health Service, reducing emissions controlled directly by the NHS by 2040; and for emissions influenced by the NHS by 2045.

Primary Care’s Impact

Currently the NHS accounts for 4-5% of UK carbon emissions; approximately 23% of those are generated in primary care. This is equivalent to circa 5.75m tonnes of emissions per annum and 1% of UK greenhouse gas emissions.

This largely comes from pharmaceuticals and chemicals, accounting for nearly half of all primary care’s emissions. Primary care providers have a key role to play in driving behavioral change within their own organisations and with patients. NW London ICS aims to support these actors through engagement, coordination, information, and education as they move to a more sustainable approach of delivering care. NW London ICB will work collaboratively with the NW London Primary Care Programme (and dedicated leads) and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to help drive emissions down through switching to low carbon equipment such as prescribing low carbon inhalers, hosting waste recycling bins (e.g. for blister packs, inhalers, etc) or other equipment recycling, and reducing single-use plastics. Our Estates and ICT functions will provide ongoing expertise to help our GPs to reduce building emissions through more effective fabric-first retrofits, installation of proven energy efficient measures, installation of smart meters and encouraging the use of innovative digital tools to create more sustainable models of care.

What can you do to reduce your practice’s carbon footprint?

Reducing carbon emissions will help to improve health & save lives. Hammersmith & Fulham ahs 28 general practices, and while a practice individually has a very small carbon footprint, you play a crucial role in communities by having regular direct contacts with patients and can therefore act as enablers for change.

Try the eLearning Carbon Literacy modules to learn more about how you can reduce the carbon footprint of your practice: https://learninghub.nhs.uk/catalogue/Carbon-Literacy-for-healthcare?nodeId=4718