Press Release

Friday 30 May 2008

FPH welcomes new strategy to ‘green-up' the NHS

 

The Faculty of Public Health is delighted that the new NHS Sustainable Development Unit has launched for consultation until 21 August its strategy Saving Carbon, Improving Health: A Carbon Reduction Strategy for the NHS in England.

The consultation document can be found at www.sdu.nhs.uk and is endorsed by Health Minister Ivan Lewis and the Chief Executive of the NHS, David Nicholson.

The NHS in England currently contributes approximately 3% of England's total carbon dioxide emissions. It is the largest public sector contributor to climate change.

Proposals suggested within the strategy include: all NHS bodies to have a Carbon Management Strategy by 2009 and organisations to report annually on their sustainable development progress.

Professor Alan Maryon Davis, PFH President, said:

"Climate change is the public health challenge of the 21st Century and unless decisive action is taken now, the world will face global public health and environmental catastrophe.

The draft strategy from the NHS Sustainable Development Unit is warmly welcomed and the consultation will give added impetus to the urgency of taking firm action – and improving health at the same time. We hope the measures proposed in the draft strategy will enable everyone in the NHS to see carbon reduction as core business.

The FPH's guide Sustaining a healthy future – taking action on climate change shows the many ways in which the health and health care community can become more sustainable. The issues will feature strongly at our annual conference in Cardiff next week. The public health community has a special responsibility to provide leadership to the wider population."

Jenny Griffiths, one of the authors of Sustaining a healthy future, said:

"The NHS Sustainable Development Unit has worked fast to develop the draft carbon reduction strategy since it was set up in April by the Office of the Strategic Health Authorities in England.

I am delighted that the Unit has formed such strong partnerships in the first weeks of its existence, and welcome the full consultation on the strategy.

The questions asked are very important – are the measures proposed sufficiently ambitious and are there sufficient incentives to enable the NHS to fulfil its potential in creating a healthier, low-carbon future? If the NHS can lead, others will follow."

FPH will make a strong response to the consultation and welcomes the views of members. Please email these to us.

FPH also has an electronic discussion group on sustainable development, which you could use to share your comments with others.


 

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