In the UK we are very lucky to have the great resource that is the Green Impact for Health Toolkit (GiFH). This framework is a step-by-step process that any primary care setting can work through to reduce it’s impact on the environment and reduce waste.
The following primary care services in NEL have made it onto the GiFH leaderboard
| Practice Name | |
| The Aberfeldy Practice | GOLD |
| Tollgate Medical Centre | SILVER |
| The Heron Practice | SILVER |
| Annfield Plain Surgery | BRONZE |
| Somerford Grove Practice | BRONZE |
| Doctors of the World Stratford | BRONZE |
| Green Lane Surgery | PIONEER |
Would you like to join them?
Click here to create an account to access the toolkit for General Practice and here for Dentistry.
We recommend that one clinical staff member and one administrative staff member, as a minimum, works through the toolkit to easily achieve Bronze Status. Our Net Zero Clinical Leads have sifted through their own and other resources to help you save time and complete actions that are in the toolkit.
The Greener Practice network have provided advice on how to prepare your supporting guidelines. Click here for tips and resources provided by the GiFH team The following useful documents are specific to north east London and we will add useful templates to the download section on this webpage.
| GiFH section | Links to NEL specific resources |
| Energy Saving | If you are a NHS Property Services tenant you can request quarterly electricity, gas, water and waste consumption statements by emailing: utilities@property.nhs.uk If you are a CHP tenant your practice manager, or GP partner, can request a utility breakdown from your CHP representative. If you own your own property, work with the practice manager to collate your energy bills. |
| Learning | Check out our Green Guide for General Practitioners on running a lower carbon practice. Check out our Air Pollution resources, including a short animation that you can show to patients in many languages. Have a watch party at your practice to catch up on the NEL Green Primary Care Webinars. |
| News and Communication | Subscribe to the NEL ICS Green Plan updates by emailing nelondonicb.nelgreenteam@nhs.net Join the north London Greener Practice network |
| Prescribing | Visit our dedicated pages to Asthma care including the inhaler formulary Asthma – North East London (icb.nhs.uk) For specific advice please email nelondonicb.prescribingqueries@nhs.net |
| Social Prescribing | Keep up with the NEL Personalised Care Programme. |
| Waste and Recycling | See recent guidance circulated by Anenta re an offensive waste stream introduced on 1 May 2024. |
Check out the case studies from practices that have used the GiFH toolkit with the downloadable links here:
To achieve one of the awards, you will need to do the following:
Pioneer: Every practice that completes criteria (no matter how few) and submits for an award will receive a Green Impact for Health Pioneer certificate to demonstrate the commitment that has been made.
Bronze: Your practice needs to achieve 75 points from the toolkit. We recommend focusing on the Bronze level actions (100 points available).
Silver: You need to achieve 150 points from the toolkit.
Gold: You need to achieve 225 points from the toolkit.
Platinum: You need to achieve 300 points from the toolkit. This was previously called the Gold plus award.
Diamond: You need to have gained a Platinum award and completed enough criteria on the Diamond theme to demonstrate that you have achieved NET ZERO carbon status in your general practice. This was previously called the Carbon award.
The points system is far from perfect but we do want to recognise both your achievement and effort so we reserve the right to have some discretion regarding deciding the appropriate awards for each practice each year.
Any ICS Green Plan enquiries, or requests for advice please email nelondonicb.nelgreenteam@nhs.net