Sustainability

The Sustainable Practice Guides (SPGs) are evidence-based, regularly reviewed, and aligned with best practice in sustainable healthcare:

• SPG for reducing waste in cataract surgery
• SPG for reducing waste in intravitreal injections

• The RANZCO guidelines for managing infection risk in routine tonometry balance infection-control requirements with the realities of resource use, cost, waste and sustainability. They highlight the environmental and cost burdens of disposable options and heavy disinfection, and supports more moderate, risk-based approaches.
• The RANZCO guidelines for the prevention of Nosocomial Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) support sustainability by ensuring high resource infection control practices are used judiciously, and by emphasising early control to avoid heavier burdens later.

The Green Tool Kit is a guideline that offers practical and affordable ideas to make eco-friendly organisational improvements. It includes checklists, case studies, and examples of achievable actions – from energy and waste reduction to sustainable procurement and community engagement.

• Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in health Care joint statement: Working together to achieve sustainable high-quality health care in a changing climate (October 2024)
• Health Technology Assessment Policy and Methods Review - Consultation 2 (February 2024)
• The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Reusable surgical gowns position statement (January 2024)

• The Royal Australasian College of Physicians press release: Joint media statement from medical colleges representing over 100,000 doctors, physicians, and medical experts (August 2023)
• RANZCO response to the National Health and Climate Strategy (July 2023)
• Doctors for the Environment / Australian Medical Association Green College Guidelines (May 2023)
• Doctors for the Environment / Australian Medical Association Net Zero Carbon Emissions for the Australian Healthcare Sector Joint Statement (May 2023)
• Consultation Paper - Draft Sustainable Healthcare Module (January 2023)

The MCAC is a forum for engagement and collaboration for medical colleges on climate change, health policy and advocacy. The MCAC successfully worked to publicly promote the recommendations of the expert report, Climate Change and Australia's healthcare systems, which informed the Healthy Climate Future Campaign. This has been endorsed by 14 medical colleges, including RANZCO.

RANZCO is a member of EyeSustain, a global coalition of ophthalmic organisations, societies, and their members who are committed to promoting the sustainability of eye care. See RANZCO member profile here: https://www.eyesustain.org/member-societies/ranzco

The IAPB Climate Action Working Group provides leadership and advocacy for increased adoption and action on priority matters relating to climate action in eye health. Documents endorsed by RANZCO include:

• The Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in The Eye Health Sector
• The Call to Action for Environmentally Sustainable Practices in The Eye Health Sector
• Climate Action and Eye Care Myths: Busted which debunks five prevalent myths about climate action and eye care.

RANZCO is a member of the Health College Working Group on Climate Change, which facilitates the development of the Framework for Collaborative Action on Climate and Health. Enabling national coordination and implementation of actions from the National Health and Climate Strategy, the aim of the Framework is to:

• Develop low-emissions models of care, including actions to improve care, minimise wasteful health care and involve patients in decisions about appropriate care and;
• Mobilise and support the health workforce to lead the health system response to climate change.