Sustainable X “Why your Team is so important for your Sustainable Care Home”

Your staff are at the heart of daily operations, and their involvement can turn challenges into opportunities to make a real difference. Here’s how your team can help make your care home more sustainable while addressing the unique needs of your facility:

What makes the Care Home Sector different?

The new CQC Environmental Sustainability requirements

The new quality care statement makes it clear that sustainability is a team effort in healthcare. Both staff and leaders need to recognise that climate change is a real threat to people’s health and take action to reduce the environmental impact of their work.

Teams are encouraged to understand how sustainable practices, like reducing carbon emissions, using renewable energy, and cutting waste, can improve not only the environment but also public health. For example, lowering air pollution can reduce the chances of heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

Leaders are responsible for creating plans to ensure their workplaces are energy-efficient and as low-carbon as possible. They also need to embed sustainability into their care planning, so teams are delivering care in the most efficient and eco-friendly way.

Ultimately, teamwork is essential in educating staff, making healthcare greener, and improving care delivery. While this approach currently focuses on NHS trusts, it’s laying the groundwork for wider sustainability efforts in the future in the social care sector.

How your team can lead the way

Given these unique challenges, your staff have an important role to play in creating a sustainable care home. Here’s how they can get involved:

1. Saving energy

Because care homes run 24/7, reducing energy use is one of the biggest challenges. Your staff can help by:

• Turning off lights in empty rooms, such as hallways or storage spaces, when they’re not needed.
• Unplugging equipment like computers and kitchen appliances when they aren’t being used, especially at night.
• Setting thermostats to the right temperature to avoid wasting energy on heating or cooling rooms that aren’t in use.

These small actions can help lower energy costs and reduce the care home’s carbon footprint.

2. Reducing waste

Care homes produce a lot of waste, from food packaging to medical supplies. Your team can help manage waste by:

• Sorting recyclables properly to reduce the amount of general waste.
• Cutting back on single-use plastics by using reusable containers, cups, and utensils.
• Helping reduce food waste by controlling portion sizes and finding ways to compost or repurpose leftovers.

Waste management in care homes has its own challenges, but with your team’s help, it’s possible to meet health standards and be eco-friendly.

3. Conserving water

Water is essential in care homes, especially for cleaning and resident care. Your team can help conserve water by:

• Reporting leaks or dripping taps immediately.
• Using low-flow taps and toilets to reduce water use without affecting cleanliness.
• Following water-efficient cleaning practices.

Care homes need to use water carefully while ensuring hygiene, and staff involvement makes a huge difference.

4. Supporting sustainable transport

Your team’s commute adds to the care home’s carbon footprint. Encourage them to use greener transport options, such as:

• Carpooling with colleagues to reduce the number of car journeys.
• Taking public transport, cycling, or walking to work when possible.
• Offering incentives like travel vouchers or bike-to-work schemes for employees who choose sustainable commuting options.

Promoting these practices cuts down on emissions and helps build a sense of community among staff.

5. Using green cleaning products

Care homes must maintain high standards of cleanliness, but traditional cleaning products can harm the environment and residents’ health. Your team can help by:

• Switching to non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning products that are safer for both residents and the environment.
• Using reusable cloths and mops instead of disposable cleaning materials.
• Using the correct amount of cleaning products to avoid waste.

These steps protect both the environment and residents, creating a healthier living space.

6. Creating biodiversity in outdoor spaces

Even small outdoor areas can become places that benefit both residents and nature. Your staff can promote biodiversity by:

• Planting native plants that attract birds, bees, and butterflies.
• Encouraging residents to get involved with gardening activities, like growing herbs or vegetables.
• Installing bird feeders or creating spaces for wildlife like bees and insects.

This not only supports the environment but also provides therapeutic benefits for residents.

7. Choosing sustainable suppliers

Your care home relies on a range of suppliers for food, medical products, and everyday items. Staff involved in ordering can help by:

• Choosing local suppliers to reduce transport emissions and support local businesses.
• Buying products that are biodegradable, made from recycled materials, or ethically sourced.
• Supporting suppliers with strong environmental policies, like fair trade or carbon-neutral certifications.

Sustainable purchasing helps the environment and supports ethical business practices, making your care home more responsible.

8. Form a Sustainability Team

Creating a sustainability team in your care home is a great way to keep green initiatives on track. This team can:

• Lead eco-friendly projects and ensure everyone understands the care home’s sustainability goals.
• Organise training sessions and events to keep sustainability top of mind.
• Monitor progress and suggest new ways to improve the care home’s environmental impact.

Forming a sustainability team gives staff ownership of green initiatives and helps make sure the care home stays on course toward long-term goals.

Conclusion

Care homes have unique challenges when it comes to sustainability, from running 24/7 to managing health and safety standards. But with the right support, your staff can make a big difference. By encouraging energy-saving habits, waste reduction, water conservation, and sustainable sourcing, your team can lead the way in creating a more Environmentally Sustainable care home.

It should not also be overlooked; the new quality care statement and Single Assessment Framework (SAF) show how important it is to have strong systems in place for environmental sustainability in healthcare. It's not enough to just make things greener – it’s key to have proper records and evidence of the actions taken.