Local environmental initiatives / groups and events

North Yorkshire and York

• Business and Sustainability grants are available via North Yorkshire County Council to small businesses within North Yorkshire (up to 250 staff). These grants are designed to address the funding and knowledge gaps preventing businesses taking effective action on net zero, and aid development and delivery of net zero interventions for businesses. Two types of grant  - a Net Zero for small projects such as insulation, LED lighting, bike racks etc as well as a Capital grant for larger projects to help reduce emissions, save money and make resources go further.  Follow this link for details of the grants and the eligibility/application criteria.

• HNY Health and Care Partnerships Climate team have produced information designed to enable GPs to start on their decarbonisation journey for non-clinical carbon. Find out more on the HNY HCP website. 

• Blister pack recycling. More than 17 GP surgeries in York now have in place special recycling boxes for the public to bring empty tablet blister packs. This is part of a Vale of York scheme to encourage the public to recycle the empty packaging. More details can be found, here.  

  The North East and Yorkshire Greener NHS Bulletin is a monthly newsletter with details of the latest green activities and good news stories from across the region, as well as providing information on upcoming events and funding. 

• NY residents are encouraged to recycle unwanted medical equipment. Recycling bins have been installed at household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) across North Yorkshire and York in partnership with Medequip,  Read more here.

• Greener Practice North Yorkshire and York (GPNYY)  is a group of practices working together to promote greener practice and share ideas. Dr Margaret Jackson, Dr Matt Sawyer and Dr Rumina Önaç co-chair the GPNYY group. They have recorded a series of environmental podcasts for YORLMC, including a special on ‘What is Greener Practice’. You can listen here to find out more about the work of these groups and what they can achieve.  If you are interested in getting involved please email margaret.jackson13@nhs.net 

• York Environmental Forum plays an active role in local environment policy, community initiatives and specific issues. The YEF is open to all groups and individuals who are interested in environmental issues and how they affect York.

• Medequip run the North Yorkshire Integrated Community Equipment Service on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, NHS Vale of York CCG, NHS North Yorkshire CCG, NHS Bradford & Craven CCG and can arrange a free collection of medical equipment, to recycle and help others in need. Details about recycling of equipment can be found here .

• Sustainable Practices York (SPY) are a local collaborative network of GPs, supporting each other and spreading the green message within their teams, patients, and communities, by sharing resources, enthusiasm and ideas.  Follow the practice links here to find out more about the initiatives put in place by some of the individual practices involved in this network.

• Dr Rumina Önaç, Sustainability Lead for Old School Medical Practice York regularly shares ideas and tips for greener practice and environmental initiatives on her website page The Greening of Life

• A link to the Green Plan 2021 - 2026 produced by the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust can be found here .

• The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission is an independent advisory body set up to bring people from the public, private and third sectors together to support and guide ambitious climate actions across the region.

Bradford and Airedale

• The Greener Practice Trainee Forum (above) have worked with Bradford VTS to produce a resource explaining the relationships between planetary health and human health, and our role in this as Doctors.  A link to these resources can be found here .

• Greener Practice Leeds.  Currently there is no specific Greener Practice group specific to Bradford, however there is a thriving Greener Practice group based in Leeds. Bradford/Airedale colleagues are welcome to contact n.gordon@nhs.net or to visit https://www.greenerpractice.co.uk/join-our-network/local-groups/leeds/   to find out more about the group.  There is more information about other local groups and how to contact Greener Practice here.    Details below of the first 3 Greener Practice meetings for 2024

  • Mon 19th Feb - Active transport
  • Thurs 14th March - Sustainability Guide for Primary Care
  • May (date tbc) Deprescribing

For more information on how to join any of the meetings above, please get in touch by email at  mail@leedslmc.org 

• West Yorkshire Partnership (ICB) have procured a number of places on a range of environmental courses provided though The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare      BAWC GPs or practice members interested in enrolling on any of these course please contact  frank.swinton@nhs.net  or  hawarun.hussain@nhs.net  with details of the course and the dates in order to receive a booking code  for enrollment.

• The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership's Green plan 2022- 2025 is available  here.  In addition a dedicated WY Primary Care Green plan has been developed alongside a Primary Care Climate Change Toolkit . The toolkit covers key environmental issues and also includes simple things that healthcare providers can do to make a big difference; such as calculating their carbon footprint, using the green impact for health toolkit to reduce it, and taking advantage of local sustainability grants.

• In this article  Hawarun Hussain West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership’s Senior Net Zero Programme Manager, talks about the part we can all play in tackling climate change and building more sustainable healthcare.

• "All Hands In" is a campaign launched by West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership  which encourages individuals to make a change to an everyday action/routine which will benefit the environment.  The pledges are shared on the campaign website allhandsin.co.uk where you can also find ideas and a range of free downloadable resources. 

• West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership’s Climate Change Team are leading the delivery of the Integrated Care System’s ambition on Climate change. Their website offers detail on initiatives, resources, contacts across WY&H as well as details of their long-term environmental aims and a report summarising their achievements over the past twelve months.

• West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership have formed a network of GPs interested in climate change. For further details  contact  richard.james14@nhs.net   

• West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership funded 10 green social prescribing projects, which help connect people to nature to improve their mental and physical health. Details of these can be found here.

• The Travel Plan Network is a free membership scheme for any employer in West Yorkshire who is committed to encouraging their staff to travel to work sustainably. They offer significant benefits and discounts on a range of travel modalities. 

• A link to the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership's Green Plan 2022 - 2025 can be found here 

• A link to Bradford Teaching Hospitals Green Plan can be found here .

• The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership's   Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation Green Plan  outlines key environmental sustainability activity  which relates to pharmacy and medicines

• Video documentary looking at Air pollution and children  Born In Bradford - Documentary (A New Generation)

February 2024