THE CLOSE relationship between health and the environment is the subject of the latest
Sustainable Warwickshire podcast episode. The impacts of climate change, such as extreme heatwaves or air pollution, can directly affect people’s health and yet, the operations of the NHS are responsible for a significant proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions.
This challenge is discussed on the podcast by GP Dr Kirsty Beckett from Hastings House Medical Centre, Wellesbourne and Cris Calleja, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust Sustainability Manager.
They talk about the impact of climate change on the health of Warwickshire residents and the things that they do which are the biggest causes of emissions in their healthcare operations. They also share the actions being taken across Warwickshire’s primary and secondary healthcare to reduce emissions from buildings, from travel and transport, from the items that they purchase and from the medicines that are prescribed to patients.
Warwickshire County Council’s climate spokesperson Coun Heather Timms said: “It’s clear that the climate crisis is also a public health crisis. Sustainability must now be part of everyday life for individuals and organisations, including big ones like the NHS. It is so interesting to hear about how they are embedding sustainability into all their decisions, from how GPs meet with their patients to the specialist machines being bought for our hospitals.
“It’s another great Sustainable Warwickshire episode which gives us a fascinating insight into the steps being taken in Warwickshire to fight climate change.”
Listen to the podcast at https://sustainablewarwickshire.podbean.com/
