We are a welcoming group of likeminded people and the first stop for those who want to find out more about greening their practice. There is the opportunity to join meetings or use the network to answer sustainability questions that you may have.
As a group we learn from each other and work to spread knowledge in our networks. We share our successes (and the learning from our mistakes!)
You are welcome to get in touch for a chat, all questions answered, and if we don’t know the answer we will find out for you!
greenerpracticebrighton@gmail.com
We can also support with teaching, to visit a green GP surgery, questions about implementing the green impact for health toolkit, joining a meeting online or come along for a walking meeting on the Downs.
Upcoming Meetings:
| January | Break |
| February | Green plan for primary care, online |
| March | Nature prescribing, online |
| April | TBC |
| May | 4/5/25, Spring walk, Brighton/Lewes |
| June | 1/6/25 Spring walk, Polegate, East Sussex |
| July | 27/7/25, Summer walk, Knepp Estate, West Sussex |
| August | break |
| September | 6/9/25 Summer party |
| October | 5/10/25 Autumn walk, Brighton/Lewes |
| November | 4/11/25, TBC, online |
| December | 10/12/25, TBC, online |
Co-Chair of Greener Practice National Leads Group: Dr Abigail Fry
GP partner @ Mile Oak Medical Centre, Brighton, East Sussex
Abi is a longstanding member of Greener Practice Kent, Surrey and Sussex. She is also a GP trainer and GP partner. One day, she realised that some of the choices we were making as health professionals were contributing to the climate crisis, resulting in eventual harm to our patients. It also became clear there were some simple, positive actions we could take as health professionals.
A grant from the Greener NHS allowed her to take a 6 month sabbatical supporting practices in her PCN to engage with the Green Impact for Health Toolkit. All the practices received an award. She presented a poster of her project at the Net Zero Clinical Care 2023 conference and has written articles for Pulse and the BMJ about helpful ways to encourage teams to engage with sustainability.
Chair of Greener Practice Kent, Surrey and Sussex Regional Group: Dr Ralph Mortimer Roome
GP salaried @ Woodingdean Medical Centre, Brighton, East Sussex
I am a longstanding member of the local group and I chair our meetings. In my role I respond to emails, discuss sustainability solutions with members, liaise with local organisations and coordinate meetings. I am passionate about bringing the best minds together and in this role I have seen great ideas and enthusiasm transform into real change.
For me, sustainability is about delivering top quality clinical care from the heart and with a smile. I value deep listening to patients and colleagues, treating the whole patient, taking time for person-centred decisions, teaching and deepening my knowledge, and checking in with myself to maintain maximum empathy levels now and into the future.
My work in palliative care taught me that great care doesn’t need to cost the earth, when we sit down, take the time to understand the person in front of us and treat their life and their time as the most precious resource of all. Other fields of particular clinical interest to me are respiratory, neurology, primary care management of long term conditions and PTSD.
Current projects are long term conditions complex case clinic, GP based MDT asthma clinic, nature-based interventions. Previous projects include cycling and health promotion and Green Impact for health toolkit.
https://carewithoutcarbon.org/zero-heroes/heroes/section-3/dr-ralph-mortimer-roome
Local projects
Education – BSMS Sustainability group https://www.bsms.ac.uk/about/sustainability.aspx
Gardening4health – https://gardening4health.co.uk/
Resources
NHS Sussex Green plan
https://www.sussex.ics.nhs.uk/together-to-zero-our-plan-for-a-greener-nhs-in-sussex