Author: Dr Alexander James Churton, ST7 Anaesthetist, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Global warming is a healthcare emergency – and clinicians are critical to its solution.

The Health and Care Act 2022 shifts Net Zero into the spotlight for the NHS, making climate change a statutory consideration for NHS decision-making. This is echoed in many trust strategies, and our influence must reach beyond direct clinical care. We continuously navigate complex systems, collaborate across diverse teams and find solutions – skills needed to drive meaningful, sustainable change.

This article – relating to work conducted at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust – explores how a quality improvement project led by a resident doctor on inhalation anaesthetic agents evolved into a trust-wide, charity-backed Green Fund. Open to all staff, it now supports local sustainability projects – a clear example of how resident doctors can deliver system-level impact, embody NHS values, and align with local and national strategy.