Delivering a net zero National Health Service: where does otorhinolaryngology - head and neck surgery stand?

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The National Health Service (NHS) recognised the risk to public health brought by climate change by launching the Greener NHS National Programme in 2020. These organisational changes aim to attain net zero direct carbon emissions. This article reviews the literature on initiatives aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of ENT practice. METHOD: Systematic review of the literature using scientific, healthcare and general interest (public domain) databases. RESULTS: The initiatives reviewed can be broken down into strategies for mitigating the carbon footprint of long patient stay, use of operative theatres and healthcare travel. The carbon footprint of in-patient stay can be mitigated by a shift towards day-case surgery. The ENT community is currently focused on the reduction of theatre waste and the use of disposable instruments. Furthermore, supply chains and healthcare delivery models are being redesigned to reduce travel. CONCLUSION: Future areas of development include designing waterless theatre scrubs, waste-trapping technologies for anaesthetic gases and a continuing investment in virtual healthcare.