The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has played a key role in updating the Green Theatre Checklist, a sustainability initiative designed to help surgical teams minimise their environmental impact.

The Green Theatre Checklist was established in 2022 by the Surgical Royal Colleges of England, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Ireland as part of their commitment to act collectively and urgently to address the threat of the climate and ecological crisis. The checklist includes pointers for healthcare workers in surgical departments, such as using local anaesthetic where possible, or switching to reusable equipment when it is safe to do so.

Three years on from its initial launch, the checklist has been updated with a range of new guidance and has secured the backing of The Association of Anaesthetists, The Association of Perioperative Practice and Royal College of Anaesthetists.

Anecdotal feedback from surgeons and anaesthetists who have implemented the new ways of working into their practice has helped to inform the changes and the recommendations now go further, including the decommissioning of centralised nitrous oxide and greater use of reusable equipment.

RCSI has been a strong advocate for sustainable surgical practices, developing a series of green surgery education and training programs for the whole surgical team, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level with support from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and National Doctors Training and Planning (NDTP).

Professor Camilla Carroll, RCSI Ambassador for Sustainable Surgery, welcomed the updated checklist, saying: “As surgeons, we need to be more aware of how our actions drive climate change. We need a new skill set to better understand the environmental impact of the delivery of surgical care and ways to mitigate the carbon footprint associated with the operating suite.

“A commitment to green surgical care ensures that we meet present healthcare needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.”

For more information on the Green Theatre Checklist, visit this webpage.