May 2008 newsletter
COIN Speaker Training event
In partnership with the Climate Outreach and Information Network, COIN, the network held a really successful speaker training day in March. It was invigorating, confidence-boosting and practical at the same time. One participant was talking to PCT chief execs within a region the following week and said “The COIN session really made a difference”. You might like to consider setting up an event with COIN in your area - we are sure you would find the experience really valuable and enjoyable. Contact Mim Saxl at COIN mim@COINet.org
Partnership working with the Climate and Health Council
We met with Mike Gill and Robin Stott, the Co-Chairs of the Climate and Health Council, last month. We agreed that we would jointly:
- Affirm the importance of personal action
- Seek to inspire and motivate NHS organisations to take action
- Support the public health and clinical communities in reaching out to patients and communities
- Lobby and advocate at all levels
- Communicate with the wider public health workforce in local government and NGOs
- Promote the development of personal carbon trading through the RSA pilot
A tangible result of our partnership is a submission to the British Medical Journal of an article Ten Practical Actions for Doctors to Combat Climate Change. We have done some work to estimate the potential tonnes of carbon equivalents saved per year if doctors took these actions, and Jenny would welcome your comments on the assumptions and methodology in the attached table by 15 May.
European links
Tracy Cook works at the NHS European Office and attended the Speaker Training Day. The NHS European Office was set up in September 2007 to inform NHS organisations of key EU developments and to promote the priorities and interests of the NHS to the European institutions. Tracy draws our attention to European Green Week 3-6 June 2008, an annual event organised by the European Commission to raise awareness and promote exchange of best practice on key environmental issues. Tracy suggests this might be a good time to invite local Euro MPs to visit your health organisation to learn more about what you are doing to tackle climate change and on green issues generally.We have now joined HEAL, the Health & Environment Alliance, based in Brussels, so our European networks are now hugely improved!
Resources
The Department of Health has published The Health Impact of Climate Change: Promoting Sustainable Communities - Guidance Summary April 2008. You will find a link to it from the home page of our website http://www.healthandsustainability.net/index.html
The UK Public Health Association annual conference in Liverpool at the beginning of April had some brilliant presentations on sustainability. The link below goes to speaker presentations.http://www.ukpha.org.uk/default.asp?action=category&ID=2052
The presentation given by Jenny at the UKPHA Forum on Supporting the Transition to a Healthy, Sustainable Futureis on our website http://www.healthandsustainability.net/17.html This includes a summary of national research on motivating behaviour change on sustainability - helping people to want to change.
Health, place and nature - How outdoor environments influence health and well-being: a knowledge base. It addresses how some of the UK’s biggest health challenges are influenced by the outdoor environment in which we live (both natural and built). You can find the link to the knowledge base and accompanying slide-set at www.sd-commission.org.uk and on the SDC health page.Do keep in touch with us either directly or though the Faculty of Public Health e-network on sustainable development.
Best wishes Jenny Griffiths Alison Hill and Jackie Spiby