Environmental Sustainability
Anaesthetic services account for 2% of the NHS carbon footprint in England. The NHS Long Term plan pledged to reduce emissions from anaesthetic gases by 40% by “transforming anaesthetic services”. A survey by the Sustainable Development Unit in 2017 found that 30% of emissions from anaesthetics arose from the use of nitrous oxide & oxygen in maternity services. Climate change is a global health emergency. We all have a role to play in reducing the carbon footprint of our practice. Below are resources covering potential methods to decrease the environmental impact of obstetric anaesthesia.
NHS Net Zero Plan
Report of planned interventions to meet National Health Service net zero emissions target
Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare e-Learning
Health Education England E-learning for healthcare
Piped Nitrous Oxide Waste Reduction Strategy
How to audit nitrous oxide & Entonox waste in your hospital
Nitrous Oxide Destruction Report
How catalytic destruction of nitrous oxide has reduced emissions in Sweden
Ethyl Chloride Case Study
Case study substituting ethyl chloride spray for testing sensory block
Anaesthetic Waste Segregation
Association of Anaesthetists waste segregation flow chart
Reusable theatre hats
How to make your own reusable cloth theatre hat.
Organisations working towards sustainable healthcare