We have been working with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare to find ways in which we can reduce our impact on the environment whilst continuing to provide high quality care.
In general practice 60% of our carbon footprint is accounted for by prescribing. This figure includes the use of inhalers for treatment of respiratory conditions like Asthma and COPD. Some MDI inhalers have the equivalent carbon footprint of driving 175 miles from London to Sheffield!
However we can reduce the impact on the environment, without affecting the quality of treatment, by switching patients to a different brand of inhaler with a lower carbon footprint. We are currently contacting our patients prescribed Ventolin inhalers to let them know about our plans to switch to them to Salamol inhalers. Both inhalers work in the same way, contain the same medicine and have the same number of doses. However, Salamol inhalers have a 60% lower carbon footprint than Ventolin inhalers. If you would like more information please refer to this video and leaflet. For a reminder of how to use your inhaler please visit How to use a pMDI inhaler
We are fully committed to becoming a Greener Practice and will posting further updates here about our progress.