York GP Practices join the fight to reduce CO2 emissions

GP Practices in York have joined together to help reduce carbon emissions in the City by prescribing greener products.

Their actions are part of a national campaign to support the climate emergency, reducing the carbon impact of patient prescriptions and helping reduce our carbon footprint.

Now all 11 Nimbuscare GP practices are taking steps to support this drive and have committed to two initiatives likely to save around a 1,000,000kg of CO2 emissions a year n York.

The most polluting items currently prescribed by GPs are inhalers, used to treat asthma, COPD and some other respiratory conditions.

Dr Emma Broughton, York GP, said: “GP Practices are going to reduce our carbon footprint by switching to alternatives. It’s really encouraging that all GP practices in York have committed to doing their bit to reduce carbon emissions by swapping patients’ inhalers to greener, more effective alternatives.”

 

York patients will be encouraged to swap from older inhalers, to a greener alternative.

Dr Broughton explains that the newer inhalers, known as Salamol, contain the same amount of drug and operates in the same way as the older inhalers, but has a far lower carbon footprint. 

“These greener inhalers have a finer spray, so more inhaler is taken into the lungs with less hitting the throat and less risk of oral thrush which is often associated with the older inhalers,” said Dr Broughton.

 

And she explained that this was purely about saving carbon emissions, rather than money. “I know some patients may have concerns that this all about cost savings. However, I can assure people that no savings are being made, other than saving the planet!”

GPs are also exploring swapping some patients, if clinically appropriate, to a ‘dry powder’ inhaler product, instead of aerosol inhaler.