Surgery News

Know Your Numbers Week

Practice Activity Data

June 2025

May 2025

April 2025

March 2025

February 2025
* Please note error in the number of prescriptions issued in February. The actual figure should read 16,748.

January 2025

Forget the blue, go green

Princess Street Surgery is committed to help the NHS reach their target of being totally carbon neutral by 2040.

The traditional asthma inhaler, also known as the pressurised Metered Dose Inhaler (MDI) is the most prescribed asthma inhaler in the UK. However, MDIs contain hydrofluorocarbons, which are potent greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases are responsible for 0.03% of the global annual carbon footprint. The carbon footprint of one blue inhaler is the same as a car ride from Gorseinon to Liverpool.

The NHS is therefore trying to cut these emissions in half by 2030. Princess Street Surgery is part of this initiative, and we are encouraging patients to switch to green inhalers wherever possible. The UK prescribes more traditional inhalers than any other country in Europe. Looking at other European countries, we know it is safe to switch onto greener inhalers.

A greener alternative to the MDI is the Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI). These are used in a slightly different way to the old inhalers but are just as easy to use. Switching onto a DPI inhaler will not affect your asthma control. In fact, if you are on a maintenance (steroid) inhaler as well as a reliever (SABA) inhaler, switching to a combined DPI inhaler such as Fostair may even improve your asthma control.

Examples of inhalers with a LARGE carbon footprint: Salamol, Soprobec, Fostair pMDI.

Examples of more sustainable inhalers: Symbicort, Bricanyl, Pulmicort, Salbulin Novolizer, Flixotide Accuhaler, Anoro Ellipta, Spioloto Respimat.