There is a link to our Ecologi profile in the footer of this website, and this post explains what sits behind it. Sustainability is not the first thing people associate with a clinical pharmacy service, but the way we work has a smaller environmental footprint than a traditional in-person model, and we put money into climate projects on top of that.
Through Ecologi, Virtual Pharmacist has funded more than 230 trees and offset over 17 tonnes of CO2e so far. The total keeps growing, and you can see the live figures on our Ecologi profile.
A remote service starts with a smaller footprint
Our pharmacists and technicians work remotely, from home, across the UK. They deliver clinical pharmacy work inside each practice’s own clinical systems rather than travelling to sites.
That removes a lot of the things that quietly add up in a conventional service: the daily commute to a practice or office, mileage between sites, a building to heat and light, and most of the paper that comes with in-person admin. For a service delivered to GP practices and PCNs across the country, taking routine travel out of the picture makes a real difference to day-to-day emissions.
It is a simple point, but it matters. The lower footprint is built into how the service runs, before any offsetting is added.
Tree planting and carbon offsetting through Ecologi
Ecologi is a UK climate company that funds tree planting and certified carbon reduction projects on behalf of its members. Our contributions support reforestation work and carbon-avoidance schemes such as renewable energy and clean cookstoves, all independently verified.
So far that adds up to more than 230 trees in our impact forest and over 17 tonnes of CO2e offset. Every tree and every tonne is listed on our public profile, so the figures are open to check rather than just stated here.
We are honest about what offsetting is and is not. It does not remove the need to keep emissions low in the first place, so we treat it as a top-up rather than the main event. The remote model does more of the work here, and the Ecologi contributions sit on top of that.
Why this fits with a greener NHS
The NHS has committed to reaching net zero by 2040 for the emissions it controls directly, and by 2045 for its wider supply chain, through the Greener NHS programme. Medicines and the supply chain account for a large share of that footprint, so suppliers are increasingly asked about their environmental impact during procurement.
A clinical pharmacy service that is remote by design, and that offsets what it does use, matches where the NHS is going on emissions. For practices, PCNs and ICBs that are starting to think about their own carbon reporting, choosing lower-footprint suppliers is one practical part of the picture.
What we are doing, and what we are not claiming
We are a growing company, and this is a modest contribution rather than a grand programme. We are not claiming to be carbon neutral across everything we do, and we are not going to dress up tree planting as something bigger than it is.
What we can say is straightforward. The service is built to run with a low footprint, we fund climate projects through Ecologi, and we will keep adding to that as the company grows. If that matters to your organisation, it is easy to check and easy to ask us about.
About Virtual Pharmacist
Virtual Pharmacist provides managed clinical pharmacy services for GP practices, PCNs and ICBs across the UK. Our clinicians work remotely within your clinical systems to support medication reviews, prescribing queries, medicines optimisation and clinical governance.
You can read more about us, see our Ecologi impact forest, or get in touch to talk about how the service could work for your organisation.
Get involved: start carbon offsetting today
You can do the same for your organisation. Through Ecologi you can fund tree planting and certified carbon offsetting in a few minutes, whether that is for yourself, your practice or your wider team. If you sign up through our link, you and Virtual Pharmacist each get five extra trees added to our forests.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ecologi?
Ecologi is a UK climate company that lets businesses and individuals fund tree planting and certified carbon reduction projects. Members get a public profile, called an impact forest, that shows the trees funded and carbon offset over time.
How many trees has Virtual Pharmacist planted?
Virtual Pharmacist has funded more than 230 trees and offset over 17 tonnes of CO2e through Ecologi so far. The total updates as we keep contributing, and the current figures are shown on our Ecologi profile.
Does carbon offsetting really help?
Offsetting helps when it funds real, verified projects, but it works best alongside lower emissions rather than instead of them. We treat our Ecologi contributions as a top-up to a service that already runs remotely with a smaller footprint.
Is a remote clinical pharmacy service better for the environment?
A remote service avoids routine travel between sites, the energy a dedicated building uses, and a lot of paper-based admin. That tends to give it a smaller day-to-day footprint than an equivalent in-person service.
How does this support the NHS net zero goal?
The NHS is working towards net zero by 2040 for the emissions it controls and 2045 for its supply chain. A remote, lower-footprint clinical pharmacy service that also offsets its impact sits comfortably with the NHS net zero targets and can support practices, PCNs and ICBs thinking about their own carbon reporting.
Where can I see Virtual Pharmacist’s sustainability impact?
Our live impact is on our Ecologi profile at ecologi.com/virtualpharmacist, which is also linked in the footer of this website.
