Health & Wellbeing

A more planet-friendly NHS

With the change in the weather at home, extreme weather events around the world frequently in the news and the increasing engagement of people of all ages and backgrounds in the issues, the discussion about climate change is getting wider and seems to be part of every sphere of life at the moment. Perhaps I feel this slightly more than most as my husband is a Climate Change scientist and my children are vocal and opinionated tweenagers! The discourse is increasing in volume and urgency in the health service too (at last), and for no small reason. The British Medical Journal reported in 2020 that the NHS contributes around 4% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, so if we as a nation are to achieve net zero, changes in the NHS are essential. And of course, change in our climate is in itself a medical emergency with high air temperatures directly causing increased death rates and changes in food security, flooding, displacement of populations and the spread of infectious diseases all directly adding to mortality and morbidity. Air pollution caused by cars and other particle emitters has an enormous effect on many different illnesses especially, the big killers: heart disease, strokes and respiratory illness. To put this in context, scientists say one third of new asthma cases could be avoided by cutting emissions. There are lots of things starting to change – both at a micro-GP surgery level and local, regional and nation scales. At Tavyside Health Centre we are doing more and more each year, and gradually I feel like we might be starting to achieve things. We have signed up to the Royal College of GPs Green Impact for Health (with 975 other practices around the country – about 10% of the total number). This gives us literally hundreds of things to address from small things like making sure that our tea and coffee is fairtrade to big projects like changing people from environment-harming asthma inhalers to environmentally friendly ones. Last year we achieved the Silver Award and this year we’re on track to get Gold.

You will start to see our doctors doing their home visits on the practice electric bikes soon. It might mean we turn up to our afternoon surgeries slightly damp knowing the Devon weather, but we are committed to it. Vehicle use is a substantial fraction of the NHS emissions. One of the better things to come out of the Covid pandemic was the widespread adoption of technology in the health service to do things like consulting remotely – which saves many thousands of car journeys to hospitals and GP surgeries. It’s so important that moving forward we work to have a balance of remote and face-to-face consultations so everyone who needs to be seen can be, but that we avoid car journeys when it’s not necessary. Consultations are evolving too. When appropriate, medical staff are placing emphasis on discussions about exercise and the environment we live in together, looking holistically at wellness and community as well as traditional prescriptions. We are looking to reduce the amount of waste we produce, and finding innovative ways of doing things that use less plastic and resources. None of these are new ideas but getting round to implementing them in the middle of an already busy day takes some doing. A lot of the inspiration for possible change is coming from looking at others and what they have already achieved, for example Primary Care in Cornwall where people have been working hard, and most importantly together, on environmental sustainability. On a large scale in October 2020, NHS leaders made a pledge to become the world’s first net zero national health system by 2040. Some of this will be achieved by looking at infrastructure – NHS vehicles and buildings; some by using technology to save patient journeys to hospital and delivering much more patient care in local communities or homes; some by switching from consumables to low carbon options. So much of this work fits with what our patients want too: being cared for at home rather than in hospitals; avoiding unnecessary medications, and taking the most planet-friendly versions. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the thought of climate change but by doing what I can, together with my colleagues and patients, I can feel just a little more empowered and optimistic.

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock

Expansion and investment for Rock Dental

Lucy Stevens and Raj Mohanty had the pleasure of taking over The Rock Dental Practice last year in June 2021. Lucy had worked alongside the previous principal dentist, Miss Pearton, who has now retired.

The duo are keen to sustain the same friendly, independent ethos of the practice whilst ensuring that it continues to stay up-to-date with the latest techniques and equipment of modern dentistry. Raj graduated in 2000 from SRMC University and has worked in both hospital and practice settings in London before settling in Plymouth. She enjoys all aspects of dentistry and has a special interest in periodontology in which she gained a master’s degree in India. Raj also recently completed training in botox and fillers, and consistently attends courses to further her dental techniques and skills. Lucy qualified from Cardiff University with BDS (Hons) in 2010. She carried out her vocational training with Malcom Prideaux in Plymouth before working as a Maxillofacial Senior House Officer at Derriford Hospital. Lucy sat her MJDF exam in 2012 to become a member of the Joint Dental Faculties. She was an associate dentist at the practice for eight years, before taking up joint ownership with Raj last June. Lucy enjoys all aspects of dentistry and takes the time to build a good rapport with her patients. Since taking over the practice, they have expanded it to include a newly fitted accessible downstairs reception and surgery. There is ample free parking, helping to ensure the patient experience is as straightforward as possible. The practice has also recently invested in a new cone beam CT scanner and intra-oral scanner to further enhance the level of patient care. Lucy and Raj have secured more clinical staff to increase capacity for new private patients, whom they are delighted to accept. The team is able to provide comprehensive general dentistry, as well as advanced implant solutions and oral surgery with Suresh Somasunduran, who splits his time between the practice and his associate specialist post at Derriford Hospital. Suresh has many years’ experience, and can offer a wide range of advanced surgical options from surgical removal of wisdom teeth to more complex treatments, such as ‘All on 4’. He accepts patient self-referrals as well as referrals from general dentists. The whole team look forward to welcoming patients, both existing and new. The Rock Dental Practice 01822 853344 info@rockdentalpractice.co.uk www.rockdentalpractice.co.uk

A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DENTAL PRACTICE OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CARE • Newly installed accessible downstairs surgery and reception • In house oral surgery and implant solutions • New Cone Beam CT Scanner • Free Parking 14 e Rock Hotel | Yelverton | PL20 6DS 01822 853344 | info@rockdentalpractice.co.uk www.rockdentalpractice.co.uk

Our team are delighted to welcome new private patients!