Last updated: May 2026
Medical Consulting™ supports the NHS commitment to becoming the world’s first net zero national health service, as set out in the NHS Net Zero Building Back Greener strategy and the Greener NHS programme.
Our Commitment
As a commissioned NHS provider, we recognise our responsibility to contribute to the NHS net zero target of net zero carbon emissions by 2040 for direct emissions, and net zero across the supply chain by 2045. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact in a manner proportionate to our size and operations.
Sustainable Clinical Care
Community-based ophthalmology is inherently more sustainable than hospital-based care. By delivering consultant services closer to where patients live, we reduce:
- Patient and carer travel distances and associated carbon emissions
- Unnecessary hospital attendances and associated infrastructure energy use
- Reliance on large acute hospital facilities for routine and urgent outpatient care
We view community-based care not only as clinically appropriate, but as an environmentally responsible model of service delivery.
Our Operational Commitments
- Paperless administration — we use digital referral pathways, electronic patient records, and digital clinic letters wherever possible
- Responsible procurement — we select suppliers who demonstrate environmental responsibility and, where possible, prefer suppliers with published sustainability commitments
- Waste reduction — clinical waste is managed in accordance with NHS and Environment Agency guidelines, with a focus on minimising single-use plastics and packaging
- Energy efficiency — clinic premises are selected and managed with energy efficiency in mind
- Travel — staff are encouraged to use low-carbon travel options where practicable
Medicines and Anaesthetic Gases
We are aware that medicines — particularly anaesthetic gases — represent a significant proportion of NHS carbon emissions. In our intravitreal injection service, we use local anaesthetic drops rather than gas-based anaesthesia, which substantially reduces our medicines-related carbon footprint compared to surgical ophthalmology services.
Reporting and Improvement
We commit to reviewing this statement annually and to progressively strengthening our environmental commitments in line with NHS guidance and the Social Value Act 2012. We will report on our environmental performance as part of our annual governance review.
We welcome dialogue with commissioning bodies on environmental and social value requirements and are committed to meeting or exceeding the environmental standards set out in any NHS contract or framework under which we operate.
Contact
For queries about our environmental commitments, please contact us at info@medicalconsultinglimited.co.uk.