SustainabilitySustainabilityAn important ethical issue for An important ethical issue for the future of General Practicethe future of General Practice

What is Sustainability?What is Sustainability?

• Meeting the needs of the present Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of without compromising the ability of others to meet the needs of the others to meet the needs of the futurefuture

• Therefore, sustainability falls within Therefore, sustainability falls within the remit of distributional justicethe remit of distributional justice

Why does sustainability Why does sustainability matter?matter?

• NHS is a high-carbon enterprise!NHS is a high-carbon enterprise!

• Without control of carbon output, Without control of carbon output, annual temperatures will continue to annual temperatures will continue to riserise

• Peak oilPeak oil

• World population continues to boomWorld population continues to boom

• This is going to be a BIG DEAL in the This is going to be a BIG DEAL in the future!!future!!

Peak OilPeak Oil

• Evidence shows that oil production follows Evidence shows that oil production follows oil resource discovery by approx 40 yearsoil resource discovery by approx 40 years

• Peak discovered was in the 1960sPeak discovered was in the 1960s• From this point on, supplies will dwindle, From this point on, supplies will dwindle,

and oil will become more expensiveand oil will become more expensive• Oil is the primary substrate for many of Oil is the primary substrate for many of

the drugs we prescribethe drugs we prescribe• Oil provides power and transportOil provides power and transport• The Deepwater Horizon disaster shows The Deepwater Horizon disaster shows

what lengths people are willing to go to for what lengths people are willing to go to for oil, and the consequences of those lengthsoil, and the consequences of those lengths

What is being done?What is being done?

• Not a great deal!Not a great deal!

• The NHS will be expected to cut a The NHS will be expected to cut a large percentage of carbon output by large percentage of carbon output by 20402040

• However, some practices have However, some practices have adopted a sustainable outlook…adopted a sustainable outlook…

What can we do?What can we do?

• Be a net energy generator, or at least Be a net energy generator, or at least reduce reliance on the national gridreduce reliance on the national grid

• Cut wasteCut waste

• Reduce reliance of transport – more Reduce reliance of transport – more telephone consultations?telephone consultations?

• Public awarenessPublic awareness

• Death is a poor motivator (unless it’s Death is a poor motivator (unless it’s happening to you, and by then it’s too happening to you, and by then it’s too late!)late!)

Why don’t we do more?Why don’t we do more?

• Moral Offset!Moral Offset!

• http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/1034776/GPs-duty-implement-news/1034776/GPs-duty-implement-sustainable-healthcare-says-NHS/??sustainable-healthcare-says-NHS/??DCMP=ILC-Related-1034776DCMP=ILC-Related-1034776

Further ReadingFurther Reading

• Oil, Health and Healthcare (Raffle), Oil, Health and Healthcare (Raffle), http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmjhttp://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c4596.full.c4596.full

• Collapse by Jared DiamondCollapse by Jared Diamond