Green Theatre Checklist version 2.0
The RCoA is pleased to support version 2.0 of the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist. The updated checklist offers a one-page resource for surgical teams to ensure they are taking all possible steps to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres, while maintaining high clinical standards.
Anaesthetic care is one of the four sections of the checklist, with others covering preparing for surgery, intraoperative equipment and post-operative measures.
The update of the 2022 original has been developed by the UK and Ireland Surgical Colleges in collaboration with the RCoA, the Association of Anaesthetists and the Association for Perioperative Practice. It aligns with our environmental strategy, which sets out our commitment to take an evidence-led and cross-disciplinary approach to reducing our environmental footprint.
How to use the checklist
Based on feedback, the new version of the checklist has been modified to highlight the interventions that can be applied on the day separately from those that require more time to be implemented.
The ‘on the day’ interventions can be used at the brief at the start of an operating list, as an aide-memoire for the team. High impact changes include opting for reusable equipment, avoiding opening unnecessary equipment, as well as administering an anaesthetic technique which balances patient needs, surgical requirements and environmental emissions.
The longer-term recommendations can guide transformation towards sustainable practice at a departmental level, including interventions that require discussion and planning with relevant stakeholders.
For example, following the consensus statement published by the College last year, the Green Theatre Checklist calls for hospitals and trusts to decommission their nitrous oxide manifolds and use point-of-use cylinders.
“The updated Green Theatre Checklist is a valuable resource for anaesthetists and the entire surgical team, providing a clear and practical daily reference. We all recognise the importance of making sustainable choices, but the demands of clinical practice can make it challenging to prioritise them. This concise, user-friendly checklist simplifies the process, helping teams integrate sustainable practices.
“I encourage all departments to try using the Checklist, which has great potential to help advance sustainability across our profession.”
