Primary care faces increasing financial, workforce and environmental pressures. Making practical changes to how practices use energy, equipment and resources can reduce costs, lower carbon emissions and support more sustainable ways of working – without compromising patient care.
This resource shares a set of slides developed by Dr David Cummins, GP at Northumbria Primary Care (Lintonville) and Bridge Medical, and Clinical Lead for Planned Care and Sustainability at NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board. The slides bring together practical examples and evidence‑based actions that GP practices and PCNs can consider when looking to future‑proof their services.
A typical GP practice can spend significant sums each year on energy and consumables. Many sustainability opportunities focus on simple, low‑cost changes that reduce waste, improve efficiency and deliver both environmental and financial benefits.
The slides highlight how small, realistic actions can make a meaningful difference over time, while continuing to prioritise patient care.
The slides cover a range of achievable interventions, including:
Each example is supported by experience and case studies, showing how incremental changes can add up to cost savings and reduced environmental impact.
Sustainability in primary care is not about adding pressure or complexity. It is about working smarter, using resources wisely, and focusing on changes that support patient care now and in the future.
Practices and PCNs are encouraged to use the slides as a prompt for local reflection and discussion, identifying actions that are realistic and relevant to their own context.
