Medical Matters: Saving lives without harming the planet

Allied Health Professionals, or AHPs as we are more commonly known, play a crucial role within the NHS.

We are a diverse group of healthcare professionals who work alongside doctors and nurses to provide specialised healthcare services in 15 areas of health, including physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and orthoptics.

Greener AHP week takes place between Monday 31 March to Friday 4 April 2025 and is a great opportunity for this area of health to look at how we can offer the best treatment to our patients, but in a way that limits our impact on the environment.

Some of these can be small changes that patients probably won’t be aware of but will result in real positive change. An example of this is within dietetics, where we have replaced disposable single-use feed tubes with a reusable and recyclable product, which has resulted in a significant reduction in plastic waste, plus storage and transport costs.

One area where we have made significant strides in recent years is with the introduction of Attend Anywhere, which is a secure platform that we use in the NHS to allow us to undertake pre-arranged video consultancy appointments with our patients.

These range from initial triage appointments where you can discuss your case with a healthcare professional and agree on a way forward to virtual sessions as we support you through your individual care plans.

We still have in-person appointments for those who need it, such as patients undertaking complex physiotherapy, but many sessions, especially initial triage meetings where you will be discussing symptoms and challenges with an AHP, can take place virtually.

The benefits of this are numerous. Firstly, it allows us to see patients far quicker, which helps reduce waiting lists. Secondly, it removes a number of the barriers that result in missed appointments. For example, we ask people who have flu or COVID to not attend the hospital. Attend Anywhere and virtual appointments mean that you now no longer miss your appointment.

We also know that many patients being supported by AHPs are being treated for conditions that impact mobility, meaning that travelling across Torbay and South Devon to attend a healthcare setting is challenging; it can also be expensive to drive and park, and not all locations have suitable public transport options.

Around 80 per cent of our speech and language therapy appointments are now delivered online. Most of our virtual nail assessments are delivered remotely by telephone or Attend Anywhere, as it saves the patient having to come in for a face-to-face assessment, only to be told they do not need any treatment and to be signposted to the appropriate service for treatment.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect your joints, bones and muscles and sometimes associated tissues such as your nerves. They can range from minor injuries to long-term conditions, meaning travelling for a consultation can be challenging. This is why our MSK team delivers around 17,000 Attend Anywhere appointments per year.

These virtual sessions are good for the environment and good for the patient and mean we can ensure those who do need a community visit or in-person treatment can be prioritised.

The above are just a few examples of how we are trying to be greener while also helping our patients get the care and support they need faster.

We are saving our patients time and money whilst reducing waiting lists, as well as keeping tonnes of carbon out of our atmosphere and reducing the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill.

For more information on Attend Anywhere and video consultations, please visit https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/services/video-consultations/

Further details on Green AHP Week can be found at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/ahp/greener-ahp-hub/why-its-important-to-be-a-green-ahp/