Sustainability in healthcare practices – what can you do?

The impact of the climate emergency is a particular concern for the health and social care sector due to the undeniable impact upon people and the environment. With that in mind sustainability will be a priority for many practices – whether veterinary, dental, or other healthcare practice.

Making your practice more sustainable will depend on whether it is a newly built building or not. You may also find yourself more restricted in your ability to make changes to the practice if you occupy via a lease.

Why should you consider making the practice more sustainable?

There are some clear benefits to thinking proactively about sustainability. It is likely to have a positive financial impact not only in terms of saving direct costs, but also improving the credentials of the practice when compared to competitors and when looking to raise finance via banks, financial institutions and investors.

With many public bodies targeting net zero by 2030, we can all expect to see a sharper focus upon the ‘green characteristics’ of the businesses and their supply chains is something that is likely to become a greater concern for consumers.

That being the case, sustainability is clearly a topic worth considering on a regular basis, keeping under review in terms of the options available, monitoring improvements and the impact of the measures taken.

What can I do to make my practice more sustainable?

The first steps are likely to be the simplest to take and the options available range significantly- from very simple adjustments to day-to-day operations to schemes focused solely upon improving the environment and biodiversity.

To name a few examples, you may wish to review your energy usage, save energy where possible – even as simply as switching lights off in rooms not currently being used – and considering whether energy may be sourced from renewable sources. Solar panels are an obvious choice here. Alternatively, a healthcare practice could review, monitor and put in place measures to reduce of water usage or waste and recycling.

The practice will have opportunities to consider its environmental and social governance (“ESG”). Given the intangible nature of the respective elements of ESG, it can be difficult to measure and define.

As it stands there is not a universally accepted measurement tool, but actively contemplating the respective pillars, the ways in which they can be furthered for the benefit of the practice and its staff and keeping those under review is a good starting point.

Does it make a difference if my practice is a new build or not?

In relation to a new development, the planning system and building control will often impose requirements to ensure that new buildings are as efficient as possible.

This includes requirements in relation to the manner and materials used in the construction of the building, its energy efficiency, limitations on water usage or to require particular drainage arrangements.

In addition, any new developments will need to achieve biodiversity net gain being a 10% improvement upon biodiversity because of the development. The extent to which any of these requirements apply may be dictated by the location of the practice and the particular circumstances relating to it. For example, a new dentistry practice in Herefordshire would also need to achieve nutrient neutrality, but this would not be required everywhere.

The position is often very different when a practice is opening its doors in an existing building. In such cases, it may not be necessary to formally apply for planning permission because the building is already in existence and the use of the building is authorised by the existing permission, but this will need to be carefully checked in light of the proposed use of the building.

This means that the practice will simply need to comply with existing planning conditions which may be several years old and so not impose the same demands as a new build. We often consider this to be a benefit as a planning application can bring with it delay, additional cost and uncertainty.

However, it may mean that sustainability is not at the top of the agenda because there is no need to react to requirements imposed. Therefore it is for the practice to be focused on sustainability and reducing it’s impact on the environment in different ways.

In conclusion

It is clear that the environmental agenda is going to be one that plays a key part across the healthcare sector moving forward, and it will be an important one for healthcare practices and providers to support in view of the impact climate change is having on people across the world.

Options available to become more ‘green’ are plentiful and entail varying levels of commitment, cost, time and risk. This enables practices of all sizes to play their part in responding to the climate emergency and hopefully to achieve some other benefits along the way.