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The Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) believe that by working together we can achieve more environmentally friendly respiratory healthcare. It has identified six key areas that require action by individual healthcare professionals, as well as commissioners, professional organisations and the pharmaceutical industry. 

As healthcare professionals, we face the dual challenge of providing high-quality care while also minimising our environmental footprint. Primary care practices, particularly in respiratory care, have a unique opportunity to implement sustainable practices that not only benefit patients but also reduce the impact on our planet. This article outlines 10 strategies, divided into top wins and other things to consider, which can be used to create a greener healthcare environment. 

The NHS is under increased financial and environmental pressures. Blanket switching of medications (changing medication from one to another without patient consultation) to more cost-effective and environmentally friendly options is therefore becoming more common. Is this right for the patient? The short answer is, no. This document will support primary care respiratory leaders understand and challenge these decisions, whilst also promoting greener respiratory healthcare to align with NHS targets.

Aimed at primary care respiratory leaders, this blueprint document provides 10 tips for contacting your local MP about environmental issues. It offers a step by step guide on how to contact, engage and lobby your local MP on greener respiratory healthcare, as well as provides a template letter which can be used to make that initial contact. 

Promoting practical action that can help to reduce the environmental impact of respiratory healthcare.Use this calendar to identify practical steps you can take to make your respiratory healthcare greener – either in the short term or the long term. This resource enables you to take a ‘small steps of change’ approach to achieving greener healthcare around a busy practice environment. Take part in the challenge as an individual or with your practice team.

This webinar focuses on using the GINA approach to managing asthma and how this can support delivery of best practice asthma care*. PCRS executive chair, Katherine Hickman, is joined by expert speakers Michael Crooks, Nicola Standring-Brown and Benedict Greenwood to discuss this important topic.  

Concerns about the environmental impact of the propellant gases used in pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) and the plastics used in all single-use inhaler devices have made them an important focus for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the NHS. Patients themselves may also be concerned about the environmental impact of their inhalers and express a preference for alternatives. PCRS do not support ‘blanket switching’ of patients from one inhaler type to another.

According to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) asthma control is assessed in two domains: symptom control and risk of adverse outcomes.  Poor symptom control is budensome to patients and increases the risk of exacerbations, but patients with good symptom control can still have severe exacerbations.[1]

The PCRS Greener Respiratory Healthcare Quality Improvement (QI) toolkit has been developed to support HCPs working in the primary care setting to understand and evaluate the environmental impact of their clinical practice, identify ways to reduce this impact, set goals and priorities and evaluate progress. The toolkit has been designed around the PCRS Greener Respiratory Healthcare Pathway which signposts the user to a curated suite of resources and materials to guide and support HCPs in their journey towards sustainable respiratory healthcare.