Specialist Anaesthetist and Perioperative Sustainability Special Interest Group co-lead
Spotlighting the champions making sustainability part of everyday care.
With a calm conviction and a deep sense of purpose, Dr Courtney Jones is helping transform the way health care thinks about its environmental footprint. As a Specialist Anaesthetist and co-lead of the Perioperative Sustainability Special Interest Group, she’s proving meaningful change often starts with the smallest actions – both in and beyond the operating theatre.
Tell us more about your role at Gold Coast Health…
I’m a Consultant Anaesthetist and co-lead of the Perioperative Sustainability Special Interest Group, as well as co-lead for Anaesthesia for Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery. My focus is on creating positive, patient-centred and environmentally responsible change – making sure the way we care for people today doesn’t compromise the health of tomorrow.
I’ve completed most of my medical training here on the Gold Coast and I’m committed to helping our part of the world be the best it can be for generations to come.
What does World Sustainability Day mean to you and how can days like this inspire lasting change?
World Sustainability Day reflects an international movement – one that both recognises the human impact on our planet and celebrates our ability to change its course.
For me, it’s about empowerment. The more we connect, share and act as a collective, the more these small, positive steps we take will become our everyday normal and the way our children live too.
When did you first become passionate about sustainability?
I grew up on acreage, where my parents taught me to respect the environment. We had a framed photo at home of the Native American prophecy:
“Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last fish has been caught, only after all the rivers have been poisoned, only then will we find money cannot be eaten”.
That message stayed with me. And since becoming a mother, it’s taken on even greater meaning – I want my son to grow up in a world that he can cherish.
What simple swaps have you made in your own day-to-day life to live more sustainably?
At home, I’ve made lots of small but meaningful changes. We limit single-use plastics wherever possible – using glass containers instead of cling wrap, reusable silicone mats instead of baking paper, cloths instead of paper towels and wooden or hand-me-down toys instead of plastic ones.
I also use biodegradable bamboo or reusable nappies rather than standard disposable ones, which can take centuries to break down. And we’ve started a worm farm for our food scraps – it’s become a fun, hands-on way to teach my son about waste and regeneration.
What did you and your team do for Plastic Free July, and how was it received?
For Plastic Free July, we focused on education and engagement across our perioperative teams. We presented to the anaesthetic department, launched our next edition of the TRASHTALK newsletter to celebrate successes and re-energised efforts to reduce single-use items such as blueys, cannula and drug trays.
We also released updated recycling guidelines, distributed and displayed throughout theatres and were thrilled to formally announce that desflurane, a high-impact anaesthetic gas, will no longer be used at Gold Coast Health. It’s a huge milestone in our sustainability journey.
From a health-service perspective, where do you see the biggest opportunities for improvement?
Moving toward safe, reusable alternatives is key. There’s exciting, TGA-approved work already underway proving that re-use can be both safe for patients and better for the planet.
We’ve come from a period of heavy single-use reliance, especially after COVID, when infection-control concerns were understandably heightened. We can take that next step and bring balance back into our systems. Re-use isn’t a step backward; it’s progress.
Dr Courtney Jones is part of a growing network of Gold Coast Health clinicians driving sustainability from the ground up – proving every small change adds up to a healthier planet and a stronger, more sustainable health service for everyone.
Want to make a difference too?
- Take action: make your World Sustainability Day pledge using this online form.
- Be involved: share your photos and join our Green Army by contacting the Strategy and Health Service Planning team.
- Learn more: explore the Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2023-2033
