This year the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare is focusing on helping clinical specialties and organisations to cut their waste to save money and carbon. While we are involved with many longer term projects which will change systems and transform clinical practice, the fact is that there is still a shocking amount of waste within the system as it is now. We ought to be tackling this waste immediately as it is money down the drain and carbon into the air - and we can't afford either.
National gardener and broadcaster Mr Alan Titchmarsh took part of the ‘greening’ of a historic street, digging in the last of 48 trees at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
A carbon footprinting study published this month compares in-centre and home haemodialysis and highlights that the frequency of treatments has a big impact on carbon emissions. Curbing emissions will require the development of lower carbon technologies, sustainable procurement policies and efficient waste management. Read the full article here
The National Institute for Health Research has published its carbon reduction guidelines for health researchers. The guidelines identify areas where sensible research design can reduce waste without adversely impacting on the validity and reliability of research, and invite researchers to consider the environmental impact of proposed interventions.
Four leading medical institutions have demonstrated their commitment to cutting carbon by signing up to the 10:10 Campaign. The Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children have all signed up to the target of cutting emissions by 10% over 12 months.
Children from Hippo and Victoria wards at Great Ormond Street Hospital have created an almost life-size polar bear from discarded haemodialysis packaging with the help of artist Darcy Turner. The project coincides with other initiatives across the UK, as renal departments challenge medical equipment manufacturers to reduce waste and increase recycling opportunities.
The conversation in green nephrology has changed. Though water reclamation, recycling and energy saving are still important, a fly on the wall at last week’s Green Nephrology Summit would have heard just as much about “telephone clinics”, “RenalPatientView*”, “patient self-care”, “shared decision-making”…
“This book is currently unique. It gives a clear summary of the evidence for anthropogenic climate change, argues how health practitioners are ideally placed to act to mitigate and adapt to climate change ... This is a must-have handbook for anyone who is serious about doing something about climate change.”
