To further explore how the NHS is aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of anaesthesia in surgery, I spoke with Dr. Katy Whitehouse, a consultant obstetric anaesthetist at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Dr Whitehouse is aware of this affect and is passionate about reducing the environmental impact that her own methods have.
“The climate crisis is one of the biggest threats to the health of our population and everybody has a role to play in doing their part to help reduce the environmental impact of their activities. If I can influence a small handful of people and they can do the same, then we will start to make a big difference – a little can go a long way.” said Dr Whitehouse.
Dr Whitehouse believes that removing Entonox altogether without a reasonable alternative method of pain relief will cause patients undue stress and pain, which is why she has begun to champion a shift to total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) in all areas of the hospital, not just the maternity ward.
TIVA is a method that uses drugs like Propofol which are supplied in liquid form and are administered directly into the blood stream. So, they are not volatile substances with the ability to leak into the atmosphere, meaning they have a reduced environmental impact. This method is now the go-to choice for many anaesthetists, including many newly qualified doctors, as there is also evidence of fast post-operative recovery when using TIVA. Dr Whitehouse says the following about this choice:
“I can choose to use less environmentally harmful anaesthetic agents and have been involved in a large project to reduce the impact of nitrous oxide when used as a labour analgesic, whilst still ensuring that women have access to this. We should be embracing technological advances to help us, not limiting the choices offered to our patients.”