As a medical practice, we were inspired to implement a number of changes to reduce our carbon footprint, after reading the NHS Green Plan.

We agreed, as a team, to introduce some simple changes to the way we run our practice and help reduce medication wastage, which would help us to become a greener practice.

The NHS Green Plan was created to support the publication of the Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service report. The report is a comprehensive publication that provides a national-level framework for action on climate change and sustainability and states that ‘every NHS organisation has an essential role to play in meeting this ambition’. The NHS Green Plan outlines how NHS organisations can produce a ‘three year strategy towards net zero’, offering key areas of focus and some of the main sources of carbon emissions within the NHS as a starting point.

As a medical practice team, we are also keen to involve our patients in thinking of new ways of making greener decisions. We serve a patient population of over 15,000 patients and we welcome ideas from patients on how we can all help to reduce our carbon footprint. The Greener Practice, which is the UK's primary care sustainability network, has produced some useful information, which can be found here.

In November 2024, as a result of our hard work, we were proud to be awarded the Green Impact for Health Bronze Award. This was made possible by working with our patients to reduce the amount of medication wastage by the work we have done so far.  

We are a veteran-friendly GP practice and proud to be a member of the GP accreditation scheme, which is a programme run by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and NHS England, to recognise and support practices in delivering the best possible care and treatment for patients who have served in the Armed Forces. You can find out more information about the Veteran Friendly Accreditation Scheme here.

If you're a veteran registered at the practice, it's important to tell us you have served in the UK Armed Forces, so we can add this to your medical records. This includes the following:

• British Army
• Royal Navy
• Royal Air Force
• Royal Marines
• Merchant Navy

When you register with us, it's important to give us any information you've received from your military medical officer because it may be relevant to your health and care, now or in the future. It does not matter how long you served for or when you left the Armed Forces.

This will help us to better understand your health, including any health problems related to your service. It will also help make sure you're referred to dedicated services for veterans, where appropriate.

It can sometimes be helpful to refer you to Armed Forces charities, who can often offer significant help and support. This will only be done with your agreement. You can find out more information about the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service here and help to combat stress here.

The mental health helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - simply call 0800 138 1619. You can also access the NHS mental health support for veterans here.

Do not worry about sharing information about your time in the Armed Forces. GPs, nurses and other people working in the practice are bound by law to deliver a confidential service.

You can easily choose where your prescriptions are sent. So, if you know you'll be away from home, you can change your nominated pharmacy from within the NHS App.

You can also order your prescription at any time that suits you. There’s no need to wait to join a telephone queue or wait until we're open.

It’s easy to use and, if you hit a problem, you can go to ‘Help’ in the top right-hand corner of the app or visit the NHS help page here.

Find out more about the NHS App here.

To register for online services with us click here.

Read more …