July 2008 newsletter
1. NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy
Saving Carbon, Improving Health Draft NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy launched for consultation.
The NHS is the UK's largest public sector contributor to climate change and is responsible for 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. This draft Strategy for consultation sets out how NHS organisations can reduce emissions from energy and heating, staff, patient and visitor travel, and the products used every day, at the same time as saving money that can be used for direct patient care. It sets the ambition for NHS organisations to meet and exceed the government target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.
You are strongly encouraged to contribute to and help shape the Strategy to ensure that the NHS is the leading public sector organisation on tackling climate change. The network will put in a response.
For more information go to: www.sdu.nhs.uk
If you would like to get more involved in these issues, please get in touch with the NHS DU.
The deadline for the formal consultation is 21 August 2008. You might want to consider the following issues in framing your response to the consultation document.
§ Carbon reduction being moved from Tier 3 to Tier 2 of Vital Signs
§ An NHS internal cap and trade scheme
§ Care Quality Commission standards and inspection on carbon reduction
§ Carbon reduction in commissioning
§ How to develop the expertise of people and organisations
David Pencheon is keen to secure the largest number of responses possible. He sees it as a referendum on whether carbon reduction in the NHS is seen by the NHS as a key policy issue and needs a mandate to use with policy leaders.
2. Ten practical steps for doctors to fight climate change
As mentioned in our May newsletter, we are now working in closer partnership with the Climate and Health Council. A product of our collaboration is the ‘Personal View’ in the BMJ on 28 June (p 1507) on ‘Ten Practical Steps for Doctors to Fight Climate Change’ http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/336/7659/1507 The calculations underpinning this paper have been out to consultation, and Jenny is pleased to have received 20 or so very thoughtful responses, many with additional material. Get in touch with Jenny if you want to see the calculations.
She is planning to work with some of the respondents to make some of the material more widely available.
3. The Royal Society of Arts is launching a carbon trading scheme for groups. The idea is to assess the behavioural impact of personal carbon allowances. We are investigating the possibility of the Health and Sustainability Network joining as a group. Groups can decide their own allowance e.g. 5 tonnes, and then work towards, say, a 20% reduction. The initial assessment uses the Defra ACTON footprint.
4. The NHS Good Corporate Citizenship Assessment Model (www.corporatecitizen.nhs.uk) is being reviewed and updated to make it more relevant to GPs, pharmacists etc. People are invited to provide feedback on the Model, to ensure that it is as effective as possible in driving change for sustainable development in all health sector organisations. Please contact Maria.Arnold@sd-commission.gsi.gov.uk to get involved.
5. Local Authority Health Profiles 2008
The Association of Public Health Observatories launched Health Profiles 2008 on June 24th. One of the indicators is carbon emissions by local authority. Last year (Health Profiles 2007) the indicator was ecological footprint. Both these indicators can be explored further on the website www.healthprofiles.info
Best wishes Jenny and Alison
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