Sustainable surgery
Surgical care alone accounts for around 5.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in the UK each year, which is similar to the emissions from heat, power, transportation, and trash from 700,000 UK homes. Anaesthetic gases, energy, and single-use goods are all carbon hotspots in theatres.
Sustainable surgery fellowship
In August 2018, Chantelle Rizan was appointed as the first Sustainable Surgery Fellow, a post created through partnership between CSH and Brighton and Sussex Medical School, funded by Health Education England and The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSEng).
A trainee in Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgery, Chantelle took time out of training to study for a PhD. Her research has led the way in lifecycle analysis (carbon footprinting) of operating theatres, surgical procedures and reusable vs single use surgical equipment.
Peer review articles
1: Rizan C, Steinbach I, Nicholson R, Lillywhite R, Reed M, Bhutta MF. The carbon footprint of operating theatres: a systematic review. Annals of Surgery, 2020
2: Rizan C, Mortimer F, Stancliffe R, Bhutta MF. Plastics in healthcare: time for a re-evaluation. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 2020; 113(2):49-53.
Non-peer review articles
Rizan C, Reed M, Mortimer F, Jones A, Stancliffe R, Bhutta MF. Using surgical sustainability principles to improve planetary health and optimise surgical services following COVID-19. The Bulletin. 2020; 102(5):177-181
Connect with Chantelle via the CSH Networks
The Green Surgery Challenge
With a supportive group of sponsors and partners, the Green Surgery Challenge was launched in 2021. Following an online event hosted by RCSEng, teams applied to enter the Green Surgery Challenge by submitting an idea for what area of the surgical pathway their team decided to focus on to make it “greener” and more sustainable.
Five teams were selected to receive mentoring from sustainable healthcare specialists at the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare over a ten-week period in order to hone a specific question, design a project, implement the project, and measure the outcomes. The teams were encouraged to use sustainable quality improvement (SusQI) methodology to create sustainable transformation. At a high profile conference, the teams presented their projects highlighting the environmental, social, and financial impact made. The combined projects have projected annual savings of 133.4 tonnes CO2e, which is the equivalent of 38 round-trip flights from London to Hong Kong.
The Green Surgery Report
CSH partnered with the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and Brighton and Sussex Medical School to produce the Green Surgery Report, published in November 2023.
A landmark report, laying the groundwork for reducing the carbon footprint of surgical care, the Green Surgery report involved significant input and collaboration with individuals and organisations working across the surgical care pathway. CSH contributed to the wealth of case studies demonstrating best practice in sustainable surgical care.
Reducing and reusing products used in surgery, shutdown checklists for operating rooms to save energy when they are not in use, switching to less harmful anaesthetics, and surgeons and patients working together to optimise their treatment are all highlighted as ways in which carbon emissions could be reduced.
The report includes a clear set of recommendations for everyone involved in surgical care, including colleges, associations and societies, NHS, policy makers, clinicians and patients.
Surgical care sustainability network
Hosted by CSH, the Surgical Care Sustainability Network is for anyone who is interested in improving the environmental sustainability of surgical care pathways, including pre-and post-operative care, anaesthesia and operating theatres.