Environmental Agenda
Primary Care Anchor Networks are working to reduce the NHS's environmental impact by focusing on sustainable practices across primary care. Together, we're finding innovative ways to make healthcare greener, more efficient, and better for the planet. Explore this webpage for resources, training, toolkits, and more to help you get involved and take action!
Improving Air Quality
‘Poor air quality impacts negatively on the health of our community and puts additional burden onto the NHS’
To improve the health and wellbeing of the local population, it's important to make every contact count. Sign up to the training module on air pollution for primary care staff.
The London Air Quality alert system will provide timely alerts to all GPs and Emergency Departments in the city approximately 24 hours before high air pollution episodes are forecasted.
A range of eLearning modules available written by GPs. The resources pages of the modules give examples of further reading and networks that you can connect to.
Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK. For Clean Air Day 2025, the team made pledges to make greener choices.
Sustainable Primary Care
Greener general practice: better for patients, better for the planet.
Green Impact for Health Toolkit
This toolkit helps your general practice improve your sustainability; reduce your practice expenses; reduce your carbon footprint; and adapt to the climate changes.
The NHS is responsible for 4-5% of the UK’s carbon footprint. Using Green Impact is one way that your practice can join the journey towards a low carbon, sustainable way of living.
Please note you will need to register an account as a practice in order to access this toolkit.
This document aims to support GP practices reduce their inhaler carbon footprint, whilst improving asthma outcomes.
Document produced by the RCGP regarding Greener Prescribing in General Practice
"Primary care accounts for approximately 23% of NHS England’s emissions footprint."
-Royal College of General Practitioners
Reusable insulin pens can reduce plastic waste and save the NHS in prescription costs.
Recycling scheme for insulin pens
It is estimated that up to 23 million medical pens are sent to incinerators or landfill every year in the UK. The scheme will also contribute to NHS England’s ambition to become the world’s first net zero national health service by 2045.
The scheme is offered by Offered by Novo Nordisk and Sanofi (not Lilly)
Send pens in the post
Sanofi have launched a pilot program that will recycle used pens, just order a collection envelope online and post back, free of charge. Order your collection envelope.
Signpost patients to recycle their pens
PenCycle scheme for Novo Nordisk, can be used to recycle Novo Nordisk’s diabetes (insulin and GLP-1) and weight management pre-filled plastic injection pens.
Clinicians when speaking to patients and appropriate to do so, can signpost patients to the website: https://www.pen-cycle.co.uk/
Community pharmacies can also sign up to the scheme and share details with patients collecting scripts.