Climate change is one of the most urgent challenges facing healthcare today, and perioperative practitioners are uniquely positioned to make a real difference.

At the AfPP Oxford Regional Conference held at Oxford University on Saturday, Nicola Stroud, Senior Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) at Colchester Hospital, Lead Clinical Practice Facilitator for Perioperative Projects at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), Editor of the AfPP Innovation, People and Practice (IPP) magazine, and former AfPP Sustainability Special Interest Group Lead, led a session exploring the impact of climate change on healthcare and practical ways theatre teams can adopt more sustainable practices.

The session highlighted how everyday decisions in the operating theatre, from equipment use to energy consumption, can reduce the carbon footprint of surgery. Nicola also discussed AfPP’s support for the Green Theatre Checklist, an evidence-based tool that helps teams embed sustainability across all stages of perioperative care.

Nicola emphasised the importance of collective action: small, practical changes can have a significant impact when implemented consistently across teams. Sustainability in theatre is not only an environmental priority but also a patient safety and public health concern.

Find out more from Nicola here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ELXBhhsKLcw

To find out more about the Green Theatre Checklist, visit: RCSEd Green Theatre Checklist