NHS Sustainability Day’s clear messages

It also represents an opportunity for patients to understand more about carbon reduction, and the impact that it can have on both their short and long-term health. In the months leading up to 28 March this year, celebrities, politicians, experts, and even chefs, had thrown their support behind the day. Prime Minister, David Cameron, called it ‘a very important initiative, that aligns with this Government’s ambitions of a low-carbon and eco-friendly economy’, adding: “I am encouraged by the scale of reduction in carbon that the NHS is contributing towards the UK’s target, and the acknowledgement that there is more to do.”

The Royal London Hospital hosted one of the main events. Organised by Fiona Daly, environmental manager at Barts Health NHS Trust, the day began with an awards ceremony to celebrate the Trust’s success in waste management. The Trust’s chair, Stephen O’Brien, CBE, who presented the awards, said: “What we are seeing today nationally is a reflection of a desire by healthcare organisations to change the culture, and embed sustainability within healthcare practices.”

NHS environmental trailblazer

Trevor Payne, director of Estates and Facilities at the Trust, who previously held a similar role at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and is well-known for his work on sustainability, said: “Most households pay expensive utility bills, and the same applies at work, but on an even larger scale. The NHS is currently looking at efficiency savings worth £20 billion over the next two years, so if we can get staff seeing that, for every action, there is a consequence, both in health and cost terms, we will start to make good ground. Today is about leading from the front, and taking responsibility. Small changes can make a big difference. It is not all about advanced technology; it is about simple changes to the way we operate. It’s not just back office changes; it’s also about clinical activities and care.” One of the biggest changes to the NHS has ever witnessed took effect on 1 April, with the emergence of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and Health and Well Being Boards. Although these organisations’ introduction have posed concerns for many involved in healthcare who fear responsibility for action will be lessened as control is moved from the centre, Trevor Payne believes the changes ‘provide a great opportunity to develop leadership among communities who themselves have a role to play on sustainability’. He said: “CCGs are already conducting awareness days and energy audits within GP practices, which gives us an opportunity to spread responsibility even further. Healthcare is not just confined to hospitals; it is community-wide.”

Tree-planting initiative

Another focus on 28 March was The NHS Forest national project coordinated by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, which aims to get every Trust, hospital, healthcare organisation, and community, to plant a tree which will increase green space for staff, patients, and the local community. It can then be used for rest, relaxation, and exercise, while improving biodiversity to even the innermost city sites, and increasing resilience to climate change for future generations. This year, to celebrate NHS Sustainability Day, NHS Forest started a ‘2@2’campaign, which encouraged all NHS organisations to plant two trees at 2 pm. Outside the Royal London Hospital, Fiona Daly, of Barts Health, joined Georgie Delaney, creative director of The Great Outdoor Gym Company, which sponsored the planting of 250 trees as part of its ongoing commitment of planting one tree for every one of its British-made outdoor gym pieces sold.

Employees at all levels involved

Across the country, Trusts and healthcare organisations continued to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. In Merseyside, the Carbon Collective, a group of NHS local Trusts, showcased Simple Actions – a campaign that aims to support and encourage 50,000 NHS staff in the region to cut waste, conserve energy, and reduce carbon. Work on the campaign began in December 2012, and evolved over the next three months; at its heart was a commitment to involve employees at all levels – from doctors to domestics, and from midwives to porters; 120 front-line staff played an active role in co-creating the Simple Actions campaign; devising messages, helping to design promotional material, and suggesting innovative ways to communicate with colleagues. Simple Actions went live on 28 March 2012, and, in the first week, reached 1,170 staff, and generated 350 ideas, through Ideas Trees planted in the reception area of each Trust.

Embracing the natural environment

In Wigan, meanwhile, managers are hoping to enhance the natural environment at Wigan Infirmary by participating in the NHS sustainability scheme. Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) has asked staff, patients, carers, and relatives, to make a pledge to support the programme. For NHS Sustainability Day, WWL planted an English oak tree at the Thomas Linacre Centre, while ‘a decorative sustainability tree’ was placed in the main entrances at Wrightington Hospital, Leigh Infirmary, Wigan RAEI, and the Thomas Linacre Centre. Sustainability pledges were then made by staff and patients on paper leaves which were then stuck to the tree. Further south, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust conducted its own day of events for staff and patients. Glen Hewlett, director of Development and Estates, said: “We are actively working with staff to promote energy and waste reduction awareness, and staff from many departments have volunteered to be ‘carbon champions’. As part of this, on NHS Sustainability Day we will launch our staff pledge to encourage all staff to think about where they could be doing more, as well as providing our Carbon Reduction Handbook for our personnel to see what we have already done. “We have reduced our 2008 carbon footprint of 77,344 tonnes by over 10%. Our energy consumption is based upon what NHS staff, visitors, and patients use, so it’s important that we spread the message about saving energy not only to staff, but also to our service users.”

Climate change in focus at evening event

Back in London, Fiona Daly and her team were making the final preparations for an evening event which saw Sir Chris Bonington, and Dr Ian Willis of the Scott Polar Research Institute, discuss how to overcome the biggest of challenges and achieve success. Chairing the event was Professor Hugh Montgomery, of the UCL Institute for Human Health and Performance, who gave a passionate presentation on the damage already seen through climate change, drawing on his research demonstrating the impact that climate change had on the 2010 global economic crisis. He explained that a rise in flooding, and dramatic weather patterns, damaged potential crops and hit farming, forcing many countries to raise the prices for basic foods such as bread and rice, which in turn led to unrest amongst Middle Eastern societies, ultimately triggering ‘an Arab spring’, and political unrest in many countries. Finishing his presentation by showcasing a picture of his son, the Professor called for ‘action from this generation to save the next’, a call which, along with the rest of the day’s events, put NHS Sustainability Day 2013 into some perspective.

Mountaineer speaks

Speaking at the same event, world-famous mountaineer, Sir Chris Bonington, who, having first begun climbing in 1951 aged 16, famously climbed Mount Everest in 1985, said that, since the ascent, Everest had changed dramatically, with the once heavy snow trails now replaced by bare rock. He said: “The impact that climate change is having on the Antarctic is obvious. I climbed Everest in 1985, and it was covered in snow; now it is nearly all gone, and is mainly rock.” Discussing Nepal, and specifically Kathmandu, he recalled ‘the vast differences in terms of environment and landscape from 1961 to today’: “The first time I went to Nepal, in 1961,” he said, “there was only one road, and Kathmandu had only two hotels. Today it has over 200, as well as cafés, bars, and lots of cars, which are causing a lot of pollution. Back in 1961 there was so much green space and natural wildlife. However, life expectancy was low, and there was poor healthcare and education. Today standards of living have increased, but with this we see ramifications in terms of pollution, which in turn causes further health issues.”

Damage to glaciers

Dr Ian Willis, of the Scott Polar Research Institute, next discussed the Institute’s wealth of research on the impact that climate change has had across the Antarctic. Speaking about the damage to glaciers, Dr Willis said: “The changes we have seen in Greenland and Antarctica have been driven by an ever so slight warming of the ocean, lapping up the edges of glaciers. We have seen in Greenland that there has also been a driving up of air temperatures, which has caused ice to melt.” As the day closed, Trevor Payne, the man behind the now national event, summed up what NHS Sustainability Day meant to him, and his expectations for 2014 and beyond. He said: “NHS Sustainability Day is all about action, small or large. Let’s not make the concept of sustainability too difficult; as you will see today, it’s not rocket science. The future landscape for sustainability practices within healthcare and the NHS is strong; just look at the recent energy fund of £20 million put forward by the Government. I feel this shows its intention to take energy efficiency seriously at the highest level, and I cannot wait for 2014.”