Sustainable Anaesthesia: How to Make a Difference

Climate change threatens human health; however, healthcare itself is an important contributor to our changing climate. Emissions of the major greenhouse gas carbon dioxide take place at every stage of a patient’s healthcare journey, presenting numerous mitigation opportunities. Principles of sustainable healthcare should be employed at individual and organisational levels, with a particular emphasis on improving patient health before intervention becomes necessary to reduce overall population demand for healthcare. This necessitates patient empowerment through choice of treatments and lifestyle changes; clinicians should use patient encounters as opportunities for health promotion. Providing high-quality care at the right time, prioritising getting care right the first time and avoiding complications are key to reducing the environmental impacts of healthcare. Anaesthetists have a role in improving healthcare sustainability by improving their climate literacy, following the latest guidance on the most sustainable anaesthetic techniques, and minimising waste of medications, equipment, energy, and water. The Royal College of Anaesthetists has made progress to address environmental sustainability, prioritising both ‘greener’ speciality practice and its own environmental footprint. This article aims to guide clinicians and healthcare organisations in practising sustainable healthcare, with particular focus on anaesthetic practice in the UK.