Sustainability

 

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

 

What we are doing

What are we doing to be more sustainable?

Here are some examples of work we are undertaking on the key areas:

Embedding Green Impact into our organisational culture

  • Sustainability is one of our core values
  • We ask staff to reflect on how they have helped sustainability as part of our appraisals
  • We ask about sustainability at interviews
  • Green Impact is a standing item on agendas for meetings
  • We regularly ask our staff to feedback ideas for improvement
  • Our weekly staff newsletter promotes Green ideas, events in the community and ways we can all take action
  • We work collaboratively with our local community

Improving our energy efficiency

  • We ensure temperatures are regulated in the building - through the use of an air cooling system and thermostats
  • Radiators are turned down where possible
  • Equipment is turned off at the end of each day
  • Lighting sensors detecting movement in the area/room
  • Energy - gas and electric - is provided via green energy suppliers
  • Use of water heaters for making tea and coffee, instead of kettles

Implementing our lighting responsibility plan

  • All lights are fitted with sensors
  • Working on a plan to replace all current lights with LED lighting over next 5 years

Green Procurement

  • We only buy Green Energy
  • Several of our team have completed sustainable procurement training
  • We ask our suppliers about their environmental policies
  • We have reviewed our office supplies and made many switches, which include purchasing sustainable pencils and paper
  • We purchase eco friendly washing up liquid and use refill bottles to reduce plastic use

Sourcing food and drink responsibly

  • Commitment to sourcing Fairtrade / local / healthy refreshments when possible
  • Avoiding food products that do not use sustainable palm oil
  • Purchasing organic milk from local supplier
  • Raising awareness with the public about Fairtrade, by supporting Fairtrade Fortnight each March
  • Sharing food as a team, with regular 'bring and share' lunch days
  • Installation of refill water bottle station for staff and public use
  • No longer providing plastic cups at water station encourage users to bring a reusable container.
  • Providing tea and coffee for staff which is Fairtrade
  • Reducing single use plastic
  • Sourcing plastic free tea bags
  • Using refill bottles for washing up liquid
  • Encouraging staff and patients to use our water refill station

Reducing waste and increasing recycling

  • Ensuring only confidential waste is collected for shredding
  • All other paper recycled
  • Clearly labelled bins in clinic rooms for domestic / confidential / sharps / clinical waste
  • Recycling plastic bottles
  • Recycling of other materials, including cardboard, printer toner cartridges and batteries
  • Encouraging patients to consider switching inhaler use to more sustainable version and encouraging recycling of inhalers at our onsite Castlegate Dispensary
  • See also reducing use of paper below
  • See also reducing prescribing below

Promoting sustainable transport

  • Implementing our travel plan, including promoting walking, cycling and car sharing

Reducing our use of paper

  • Working towards being a paperless Practice where possible
  • Ceasing use of fax machines
  • Promoting health education messages to patients via patient information screens in waiting areas, to reduce the use of leaflets
  • Setting photocopiers to print double sided by default
  • Photocopiers are able to scan and email documents, to reduce printing
  • Email signatures include the 'think before you print' logo
  • Patient communication uses paperless systems where possible
  • Registration packs have been reviewed and condensed to reduce paper used or available online
  • Online forms being introduced to website and the use of these to increase

Reducing prescribing

  • Where possible, the Practice is reducing polypharmacy and over prescribing
  • Reducing prescribing of opiates - we are working with patients to review their opiod use and reduce where possible
  • Reducing prescribing of over the counter medicines
  • Where appropriate, switching prescriptions for inhalers to dry powder inhalers. Read more information on green inhalers.
  • Returning unwanted medicines to our onsite Castlegate Dispensary where we will dispose of medicines safely protecting patients, staff and the environment.

Read about recycling used inhalers and unwanted medicines

Implementing the NUS/RCGP Green Impact Toolkit

  • Whole Practice commitment to achieving the NUS / RCGP Green Impact Award
  • Commitment to support the National Green Impact Agenda to reduce carbon emissions in line with the 2030 United Nations Sustainability Development Goals
  • Supporting other Practices and providers to implement the Green Impact Award

Supporting Health and Wellbeing

  • Promoting workplace health and wellbeing for our staff – various local resources available
  • Providing resources on our website to help patients support their health and wellbeing. Visit our Self-Help Centre.
  • Directing patients to further sources of advice and support via our Social Media, noticeboards, TV screens in the waiting area, newsletters and news articles on our website
  • Promoting a series of health and wellbeing campaigns each year, for example on specific topics such as alcohol use or on seasonal health issues such as the flu vaccination, promoting national and local campaigns.