St Michael's Partnership and the Climate
At St Michael's Partnership we recognise that climate change poses a major threat to our health as well as our planet. We are working to reduce our environmental impact and improve the health of our patients, staff, and community.
Many of the actions needed to tackle climate change directly improve patient care and health and wellbeing. This is because many of the drivers of climate change are also the drivers of ill health and health inequalities.
The NHS is responsible for 4% of the UK’s carbon footprint and has made a commitment to reduce its emissions and reach carbon net zero by 2045.
Why is the climate crisis relevant to my health?
A warming climate affects health in 3 ways:
- Extreme weather events including flooding, heatwaves and drought. These cause detrimental effects to physical and mental health, and damage healthcare infrastructure. These events will become more common and severe with global warming.
- Effects on the planet’s life support systems e.g. rising sea levels, safe water availability. This is leading to a change in the pattern of infectious diseases and food shortages.
- Effects mediated by social systems, such as livelihood loss, rising prices of food and fuel, supply chain disruption, pressure on health and care services, conflict or forced migration.
Adapted from Climate and health: applying All Our Health
What is St Michael's partnership doing?
We are using the Green Impact for Health toolkit to make improvements across the surgery.
This includes things like:
- Supporting patients to switch to more environmentally friendly inhalers
- Improving our energy efficiency
- Reducing the amount of waste we produce
What can patients do?
Everyone can do their bit. The more of us who introduce small actions into our everyday lives, the greater the impact we can have together.
Physical Activity
- Physical activity has huge benefits for both your physical and mental health.
- The greatest health benefits are seen when moving from being sedentary/minimally active, to doing some activity.
- You can find ideas and support to increase your physical activity under “healthy lifestyles” here.
Healthy sustainable food
- Diets that are high in vegetables and low in animal products protect us from heart disease, bowel cancers and many other conditions, as well as being better for the planet.
- You can find ideas and support for a healthy sustainable diet under “healthy lifestyles” here.
Spend Time in Nature
- Contact and connection with nature can improve both mental wellbeing and physical health.
- There are lots of different activities and organisations in our local community which can support you to connect with nature. Below are a few examples:
Roots to Wellbeing (6 weekly session of outdoor wellboing activities in Brickfields Park)
Community Farm hosts several free courses on their farm in the Chew Valley (transport can be arranged)
Social Prescribing available at the surgery can discuss how green social prescribing can help you.
You can find more information about nature and health here.
Wellbeing Courses
The Wellbeing Courses website is a one stop shop for FREE community courses for anyone age 16+ either in BANES or with a GP in BANES. Online and face to face courses, some delivered directly by the Wellbeing College and some by 3rd sector colleagues.
We hope that you find something to inspire you to support your wellbeing Wellbeing Courses or call them on 0300 247 0050 and ask for Wellbeing Courses.
Live Well
Find out how to Live Well at Live Well B&NES, Bath & North East Somerset’s online community directory for local services providing a wealth of information and support for children and families, young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and adults needing care and support to live full and independent lives. Part of B&NES Council, Live Well B&NES is a statutory service and the website receives upwards of 20,000 visitors each month. The team continuously monitors, updates and adds new information and services of relevance and interest to our local target audiences.
Inhalers
- Some inhalers have a much higher carbon footprint than others.
- Metered dose inhalers contain propellants which are potent greenhouse gases thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The alternative, dry powder inhalers do not contain these gases, and are therefore much better for the environment. For most patients, they are as effective and often easier to use.
- If you are concerned about the possible environmental impact of your inhalers it is very important that you discuss this with your doctor or nurse, rather than just stopping your inhalers, so that any changes can be agreed and made safely.
- You can find more information about inhalers here: Inhalers
Medicines disposal
Please only order repeat medication when you need it. Contact the surgery book a medication review if you have any problems or questions about your repeat medications.
- Please return any unused medication, including inhalers, to a pharmacy for safe disposal. This reduces the chance of medication getting into the environment and harming wildlife.
- Unfortunately, plastic medication blister packs cannot be put in household recycling. The following pharmacies have recycling collection bins for empty medication blister packs:
- Superdrug 31/32, Westgate Street, Bath, BA1 1EL
- Superdrug 42, Southgate Street, Bath, BA1 1TG
Travel
- Can you walk or cycle to the surgery? We have bicycle racks, in the top corner of the carpark, and a water fountain if you need to refill your water bottle when you get here.
- BaNES council offer cycling courses for children and adults looking to improve their ability and confidence. They also have an electric bike hire scheme so you can try before you buy. Find out more here and here.
- Buses 19 and 20 stop just outside the surgery.