After it was discovered that the NHS is responsible for an estimated 5% of the UKs carbon footprint, it became the world’s first national health system to make net zero commitments and develop clear deliverables and milestones. Whilst the NHS is contributing to climate change, climate change is also having its own effect on the NHS. 900 people were killed by soaring temperatures in 2019 while nearly 18 million patients visited GP practices in areas that exceed the World Health Organisation’s air pollution limit.
For our first event of the day, we invited NHS staff from a multitude of departments to speak about their sustainability journey and the challenges they have faced so far.
Guest Speakers Included
Dr.Lucy Brooks, Leadership Fellow in Climate Change and Anaesthesia, Health Education England
Heidi Barnard, Group Head of Sustainability, Northern Care Alliance
Dr. Bhagyashree Meenu Netke, Consultant Anaesthetist, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust