HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2009

Please send on to colleagues

www.healthandsustainability.net

1.      SIGN UP FOR OUR PARTICIPATIVE WORKSHOP ON 20 MARCH IN SHEFFIELD

In partnership with the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, Climate Connection, the Climate and Health Council and the Faculty of Public Health 

 We are holding a workshop for members of the network and colleagues on Friday 20th March in Sheffield, with thanks to Dr Jeremy Wight and the team at Sheffield Primary Care Trust and City Council.

The workshop will be highly participatory. Its aims are to:

·         Offer mutual support

·        Share learning

·        Develop our skills in communicating with those who are not yet fully engaged

Here is the programmeand the registration form

Please register and return this to Margaret Atkins at margaretatkins@macomms.co.uk The fee is just £40 to cover lunch and refreshments and our administrative costs.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there.

2.      PLEASE ASK EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO SIGN THE CLIMATE AND HEALTH COUNCIL PLEDGE

www.climateandhealth.org/pledge

Here is a message from our colleagues Robin Stott and Mike Gill, co-chairs of the Climate and Health Council:

In the run up to the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December this year, we have embarked on a major campaign, aiming to get at least 10,000 health professionals to sign our pledge by March (just click on 'sign our pledge' on the website to see the text and background), to do what we can to get governments to sign a meaningful deal at Copenhagen. In April/May we intend to launch a 'public' phase where the public are invited to ask their doctor or any other health professional they come across whether they've yet signed up.

Numbers of signatories both from UK and elsewhere are now growing impressively (they are well past 1,000), but we need to keep up the pressure if we are to meet our target.

3.      SAVING CARBON, IMPROVING HEALTH: THE NHS CARBON REDUCTION STRATEGY

Go to www.sdu.nhs.ukto access this essential document.

·     The response from 66% of NHS organisations to the consultation on the draft Carbon Reduction Strategy was described as “unprecedented” by NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson.

·     David Nicholson emphasised the distinctiveness of the NHS – its scale (staff and estate), that it reaches the whole population, its range of services, the pivotal place of the NHS in society.

·     Success would be at least a 10 per cent reduction in NHS CO2 emissions by 2015.

·     David Pencheon, Director of the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, stressed that if we do nothing, emissions from the NHS will increase significantly – despite it becoming more carbon efficient. This is because NHS activity is increasing, even though its carbon intensity is reducing. A key challenge is therefore to redesign health care, which is highly congruent with the Darzi Next Steps Review.

·     All business cases should include an evaluation of the impact on carbon footprints. Carbon targets are as important as clinical and financial targets.

·     Carbon reduction is core health business. It is good for business – good for health, good for value for money (massive efficiency gains) and good for morale. Without sustained action, we are jeopardising the future health of the whole population.

We have been delighted to welcome a number of new members to our network recently. Please continue to pass on this newsletter and our website www.healthandsustainability.net.

With best wishes from Jenny and Alison

4.      NEW MEMBERS