I feel encouraged that better care for patients and families comes first , but come with carbon saving benefits too .”
fellowship would give me more skills in this area .
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What are your initial priorities and what do you hope to achieve over your tenure ?
I am hosted currently by Sussex Integrated Care System – covering the whole of the county . Initially , I want to get to know the people and the place and to learn from the sustainability team ; they have lots of experience and knowledge .
I hope I can bring the clinical perspective in some of the plans . I am looking at implementing a walking aid reuse scheme , developing a more cohesive network of green champions / envoys across different trusts , and perhaps some training for people in senior positions to show the impact of climate change , specifically in Sussex .
Another clinical fellow – a speech and language therapist – and I are working alongside the Chief Allied Health Professional ’ s office to organise Greener AHP Week , taking place on 22-26 April 2024 . This will be virtual and free to all , hopefully with lots of interest and useful resources , fun and calls to action as well .
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How different do you think your work as a fellow will be , compared with your usual occupational therapy day-today role and other activities ?
It is very different ! I found it hard not being part of a team initially , because I love my team at the hospital . All the clinical fellows were used to being really busy and being experienced and confident in our jobs . Having to find our own way and make our own plans , feeling new and unsure , was strange .
The other clinical fellows are great people and very supportive . There are 10 of us , all with different clinical backgrounds – including a midwife , speech and language therapist , paramedic , pharmacist , nurse and public health consultant and doctors . We have learnt from each other
– in a way like a multidisciplinary team – and we are all focused on sustainability . Being part of a strategic team ( Greener NHS is part of the strategy team of NHS England ) is also interesting . You have to step back in order to get a bigger picture and the challenges are slightly different .
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And finally , do you have any messages or actions for the wider occupational therapy community as you settle into your new role ?
I am loving this opportunity so much . I have had the chance to go to conferences , learn from staff in sustainability teams and Greener NHS , attended the launch of new guidelines on mental health and leadership workshops , contribute to an application for large scale grants , and to talk to MPs and people in the House of Lords about how to best hold them to account and change laws .
Everyone in Greener NHS is so dedicated and there is a feeling of welcoming new ideas and ways of doing things .
I feel encouraged that better care for patients and families comes first , but come with carbon saving benefits too . Working in the NHS for 30 years it can feel demoralising , but here I feel like there are positive changes and it ’ s encouraging .
I would highly recommend people getting involved with their local green champions , undertaking the Greener NHS online training , which is open to all , and applying for a clinical fellowship . You never know where you might end up !
Words JACQUELINE GORDON , Clinical Fellow in Sustainability , Greener NHS , contact Jacqueline . gordon3 @ nhs . net . To find out more about all the 2023 / 24 The NHS Chief Sustainability Officer ’ s Clinical Fellows visit https :// bit . ly / 42u1KGD . For more on Greener AHP Week follow
# GreenerAHPWeek
I feel encouraged that better care for patients and families comes first , but come with carbon saving benefits too .”
February 2024 OTnews 49