Sustainability in Small Practice: Where to Start Without Overcomplicating It

Environmental sustainability can feel like a big topic for a small practice. When people hear “healthcare emissions”, they often think of hospitals, operating theatres, large facilities, procurement systems and national policy, not the day-to-day realities of an office based primary care practice.

And that is mostly fair! Australia’s health system is a much bigger picture. The Australian Government’s baseline emissions report estimates that our health system produces 5.44% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

General practice is only one small part of that footprint (approximately only 4% of the healthcare industry total). But “smaller share” does not mean “smaller role”. Primary care can still make practical changes in its own operations, and influence downstream impacts through prescribing, referrals, prevention and patient health literacy.

The good news? Sustainability does not need to start with solar panels, building upgrades or expensive consultants. For small practices, the best starting point is usually low-risk, low-regret actions such as simple changes that reduce waste, improve efficiency, save money, and are unlikely to cause harm or unnecessary burden.

Start with what you control:

• Review your heating and cooling settings.
• Make you’re your team members are turning off the lights every night when you close.
• Switch to LED lighting.
• Turn off equipment when not in use.
• Reduce unnecessary printing.
• Use e-prescribing where appropriate.
• Place recycling bins where they will actually be used.
• Check whether clinical waste bins are being filled with items that could safely go into general waste or recycling.

These are practical, team-based actions that are achievable for most practices.

Then move into clinical and patient-facing opportunities. Could your team discuss when reusable versus single-use items are appropriate? Could patients be reminded to return unused medicines to the pharmacy? Could waiting room information explain how heatwaves, bushfires or poor air quality affect health?

If you own your practice, you could consider longer term upgrades like solar, switching off gas, or planting native greenery. If you have strong connections in your community, you could consider upcycling services to minimise the amount of expired consumables and e-waste your practice creates.

For Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and community-led services, sustainability may also connect naturally to care for Country, community wellbeing, local partnerships and place-based responses.

Sustainability in general practice is not about perfection. It is about awareness, ownership and steady improvement. Every little bit does help, especially when it becomes part of how the team thinks, plans and delivers care.

QIP Consulting supports general practices and health services to prepare for changing accreditation expectations in practical, proportionate ways. From sustainability actions and document management to strategic planning and quality improvement, we help teams build systems that work in real life, not just on paper.