Sustainable healthcare for a healthier Dorset
Dorset Green Practice Guide
The Dorset Green Practice Guide is to help general practices and primary care networks consider how they can become more climate friendly.
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time. Healthcare providers have a unique opportunity to not only care for people but also contribute to reducing environmental impacts.
This guide has been produced by the Alliance as a practical tool which lists over 70 actions practices can take to improve their environmental sustainability. It also provides useful resources and tips. You can select as many actions as you wish, and in any order.
You will find out why it is important to take action now, steps to get you started and you will find resources to help you make these changes.
We know that practice staff are busy, so we have created a shortened version of the guide which you can view below in Microsoft Sway. It gives you the key points and a selection of resources.
Coming soon - you can download the full PDF version on the button below which has more details and resources. We have taken steps to make the Sway version as accessible as possible, however if you are experiencing any accessibility issues then please download the the PDF version. Please note that if you open the Sway in full screen version, you will not see any of the links you click on until you minimise it again.
View the Dorset Green Practice Guide
Simple steps to get you started
Here are some steps to get you started on your green journey:
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Nominate a green lead in your organisation
Read the green guide
Take the first step to calculate carbon footprint and do an audit
Get staff and PPGs involved to decide on next steps
Set up a webpage (see below)
Share your ‘green’ news on your websites, in newsletters, with your patient participation groups (PPGs) and with the Alliance too.
Webpages
You could create a webpage about your sustainability work to share the ways in which your general practice is being more eco friendly, as well as highlighting important health messages.
See below some examples of some public health messages you might want to share.
For inspiration, here are some good examples of webpages from other practices across the country:
Green and Sustainability - The Village Practice
Newsletters
Create a ‘green’ section on your public or staff news letters to update people on the initiatives.
Patient participation groups (PPG)
Keep your PPG informed of the work you are doing, and see if they are able to help share these messages or with ideas for new initiatives.
Share relevant campaigns
Sharing materials for campaigns such as ‘Only order what you need’ on social media and in your practices is a great way to help make a difference too.
Media and press releases
If you have a green initiative that is working well or wins an award, it might be a good idea to share this with the wider public via the media.
Ask NHS Dorset for support with any press releases that you might want to do by emailing communication@nhsdorset.nhs.uk
Share your progress with the Alliance
Let us know if how you are getting on, and if you have any further questions or ideas for the green guide at any point point by emailing: dorsetgpallliance@dorsetgp.nhs.uk
Key messages for the public
Key messages and graphics for the public that you can use on your websites:
Together, let’s take small steps that make a big difference. Let’s live a more healthy lifestyle, in an eco-friendly way. This helps you, your family and your community, as well as our planet.
Breathe healthier air
There’s lots we can do to make the air quality better. Here’s 3 tips to get you started:
Don’t idle – If you have to drive, turn off the engine when you are not moving and it is safe to do so
Use fragrance-free, milder cleaning products and avoid plug-in fragrances
Reduce home burning as much as possible (e.g. log burners, coal fires or candles)
Thank you for only ordering the medicines that you need
Approximately 1.6 million medicine items are wasted unnecessarily in Dorset each year. We need your help to reduce this. Only order the medicines that you need when you do your repeat prescriptions, and give any unused medicines to local pharmacies to get rid of.
Change your inhaler
For people who use an inhaler, we are encouraging a switch to a more sustainable version.
Recycling inhalers can be done at certain pharmacies. Find your nearest recycling point here.
Keep medication to a minimum
Where possible, general practice surgeries are reducing the amount of medicines that are prescribed which are not needed, or that can be bought from pharmacies or shops.
You might find that your needs are best met by our social prescribers, or health and wellbeing coaches rather than medication.
Increase your health and wellbeing
For most people, the best diet for health is mostly wholefood plant-based, i.e. which consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, grains and seeds, and not including processed or red meat, can certainly be best for our health, as well as the health of the planet.
