Stockport NHS Foundation Trust's emergency department at Stepping Hill Hospital has been awarded Bronze status under the Royal College of Emergency Medicine's (RCEM) new GreenED scheme, recognizing its efforts to lower carbon emissions and promote environmental sustainability.
Measures to Reduce Environmental Impact
The department has implemented a range of initiatives, including reducing plastic use, introducing reusable cups instead of single-use ones, decreasing intravenous antibiotics and paracetamol, and increasing dry powder inhalers over gas inhalers. It has also become a penthrox-only department, eliminating nitrous oxide, and reduced unnecessary blood tests by reviewing indications. The team is exploring reusable equipment such as tourniquets and suture materials, and regularly educates the multidisciplinary team on sustainability.
Community Engagement
The department worked with local primary schools on a poster competition to discourage car idling. The winning posters are now displayed near the department and other hospital areas. Dr. Jennifer Lea, emergency medicine consultant and sustainability lead, said: "All our colleagues are very happy to see that our efforts to create a more environmentally friendly emergency department have been recognised with this award... It's been an incredible experience to work with such a proactive team keen to make a significant step forward in sustainability."
Impact of Climate Change on Emergency Medicine
Dr. Ian Higginson, RCEM president, said: "Climate change is an existential threat... In Emergency Medicine, we already see the impacts of pollution, extreme temperature and the state of the environment. We have a duty to ensure our Emergency Departments are doing their part in the climate crisis."
Paediatric Diabetes Team Event
Separately, the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust paediatric diabetes team took children with Type 1 Diabetes to Wild Things soft play centre in Bramhall for a fun day out, funded by Stockport NHS Charity, providing peer support for children and parents.
