Prescription for doctors to talk about climate change?

New guidelines suggesting that doctors should warn their patients about the dangers of climate change is an interesting idea.

Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox was commenting on advice by The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) that said medics should raise the topic regularly during consultations.

“Considering that the NHS is responsible for 40 per cent of the UK’s public sector emissions and 4 per cent of total emissions, it is a subject that is worth a public debate,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park, (www.noreus.co.uk).

“But I do think doctors do have to be careful about straying from their main purposes and getting involved in political debates,” he added.
The medical group said doctors should use their status as a trusted member of the community to talk about the health benefits of climate action.

The 11-page document advises medics to look out for people suffering ‘eco-distress’ – the name given to anxiety and depression caused by rising world temperatures.

The RCP, which represents 40,000 doctors worldwide, says members should also look at remote appointments as a way of cutting down on environmentally damaging travel.

It says they could also reduce carbon footprints by considering working from home on days they are not delivering clinical care as well as cutting back on prescriptions and tests.

As well it calls on health staff to send emails or texts instead of traditional letters to reduce transport emissions, energy use and printing costs.

The document bills climate change as ‘one of the biggest threats to human health’ and stresses it will ‘undoubtedly cause significant additional pressure for the NHS’.

The RCP booklet says climate change is projected to cause an excess of 250,000 deaths per year by 2050 and although more than half of these are likely to be in Africa, the UK will not be immune from the direct effects of extreme heat and flooding.

It notes that talking to patients now about green matters could ultimately deliver wider benefits for the UK population’s health and in turn reduce pressure on the NHS.

The RCP guidance gives doctors some examples of how they could explain to patients the effect on their health from heatwaves which are becoming more frequent. This could lead on to discussions about how medications can make people more vulnerable to heat and advice about carrying an inhaler or considering wearing a mask outside. But it also advises medics not to debate the science with their patients.
“That is good advice,” said Ron, “but people should remember there is more that people can do such as making their homes and offices cooler and healthier to live in to cope with rising world temperatures.

“These include indoor air quality testing, ventilation for homes and business to ensure the flow of fresh, healthy air and green heating solutions to provide perfect temperature control,” he added.

“If you want any green energy advice in how to cope with climate change, call Ron on 0845 474 6641 or go to www.noreus.co.uk.

Caption: The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) logo.