BAOT / UNISON
BAOT / Unison Stewards National Panel statement in support of reaching net-zero carbon emissions in healthcare
The BAOT / Unison Stewards National Panel welcomes the NHS report Delivering a ‘ Net Zero ’ National Health Service , published in October 2020 , setting out its strategy to decarbonise the NHS , with targets to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 ( www . england . nhs . uk / greenernhs / wp-content / uploads / sites / 51 / 2020 / 10 / delivering-a-net-zero-national-health-service . pdf ).
The NHS has adopted a multi-year plan to become the world ’ s first carbon net zero national health system . The commitment comes amid growing evidence of the health impacts of climate change and air pollution and aims to save thousands of lives and hospitalisations across the country .
Climate change is the greatest single threat to human health in the 21st century .
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the consequences of globalisation can be catastrophic for our health when our governments and health systems are not resilient and prepared for emerging threats . Further pandemics and negative health consequences are inevitable if the man-made climate emergency is not brought under control .
Air pollution is linked to killer conditions like heart disease , stroke and lung cancer , and academics have linked high pollution days with hundreds of extra out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and hospital admissions for stroke and asthma . The changing climate is leading to more frequent heatwaves and extreme weather events such as flooding , including the potential spread of infectious diseases to the UK .
The BAOT / Unison Stewards National Panel supports strong , urgent action for the NHS to lead the way to achieving net-zero carbon emissions . We care for our patients , clients and our communities and we recognise the importance of climate action to protect the health of the public and the sustainability of our planet .
We wish to draw attention to areas of our practice and work as occupational therapy staff where we can support the NHS route to achieving a carbon net-zero NHS . These are areas that could be immediately explored , but action clearly should not be limited to these alone .
Education and training : it is vital that occupational therapy staff have a sophisticated understanding of the climate emergency . This should include its causes , the impact upon the patients and communities we care for , and the need for our practice to become more sustainable .
The need to adopt sustainable practices should be a central feature of the training and education of occupational therapy staff .
Leadership : occupational therapists are encouraged to work in partnership with colleagues and employers and to participate in discussions and decisions about adopting sustainable practices . Decision-makers must take up leadership positions in the race to a net-zero NHS .
Policy makers must listen to and engage with our professions and ensure programmes to reduce carbon emissions are congruent with the professional codes and practices .
Travel for occupational therapy practice – community practice : many occupational therapists work in our communities , delivering care and support to people in , or close to , their homes . It is vital that steps are taken to reduce the level of carbon emissions in practice .
Vehicles used for home visits should run on renewable energy . Alternative treatments and pathways that minimise emissions should be available and accessible . Modern software and technology must be implemented to manage working patterns and reduce unnecessary short journeys to maximise efficiency and reduce waste .
Travelling to work : far too often our choices of transport are severely limited . More must be done by government , employers and communities to provide better options for affordable , accessible and high-quality public transport for travel to work . In addition , safe , protected routes should be available to encourage walking and cycling to work , and facilities provided in workplaces for those who need to shower and change clothes . By making active and public transport more accessible we will reduce carbon emissions and improve the health of those in our communities and our professions .
Hospital food : too often in our hospitals and places of work there are few or no options for healthy , quality food . We call for urgent action to improve the food and drink available in our workplaces . There should be locally sourced , freshly prepared , high-quality food and drink available . We need rational , local planning to reduce food waste , single-use plastics and unnecessary packaging .
Uniforms : a large number of occupational therapy staff work in uniforms required by their clinical areas . The cost of laundering these has been passed on to individuals and their families . Consideration should be given to the introduction of staff laundries , where uniforms could be laundered in the most carbon-efficient and safe way .
Co-benefits : the actions we need to take to reach net-zero carbon emissions will make our communities healthier and safer . We believe prevention and maintenance of public health is important and we call for wider recognition of the co-benefits that we will enjoy as we reduce carbon emissions .
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OTnews May 2021 13