The climate crisis and healthcare Dr Sarah Peel Chair of the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
The climate crisis and healthcare Dr Sarah Peel Chair of the London Scientific Diagnostic Network Environmental Sustainability workstream Capacity and Quality Lead for the Scientist Training Program in London, Health Education England The
Dr Sarah Peel Chair of the London Scientific Diagnostic Network Environmental Sustainability workstream Capacity and Quality Lead for the Scientist Training Program in London, Health Education England
Climate change and its impacts on health The environmental impacts of healthcare The unique contribution of clinicians and the
NHS
https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/global-warming/temperature-change
https://climateactiontracker.org/global/temperatures/
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126971-700-how-to-survive-the-coming-century/
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140- 6736(19)32596-6/fulltext
health and heat health and extreme weather events global health trends in climate-sensitive diseases climate-sensitive infectious diseases food security and undernutrition https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140- 6736(19)32596-6/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)32596-6/fulltext
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/jul/26/science.g2
Mapping estimated heat-related mortality in London due to population age, urban heat island, and dwelling characteristics Jonathon Taylor et al UCL London, City Hall, 28th October 2015Heat Risk in London group meeting
Nearly 700 more deaths than average were recorded
during the 15-day peak of the heatwave in June and July in England and Wales
“The people most at risk in a heatwave are the frail
elderly with heart or kidney problems.” Dr Adrian Boyle of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/03/deaths-rose-650-above-average-during- uk-heatwave-with-older-people-most-at-risk
Temperatures were higher in neighbourhoods with lower
levels of urban vegetation
Temperatures higher with higher levels of income
deprivation, social-rented housing, and non-native English speakers
https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4655678/1/Murage_etal_2019-What- individual-and-neighbourhood-level-factors-increase-the-risk-of-heat-related-mortality.pdf
World Economic Forum
Extreme weather events Water crises Natural disasters
Weapons of mass destruction Failure of climate change mitigation and adaption
Likelihood Impact
Globally, healthcare’s carbon footprint accounts for 4.4%
If healthcare were a country it would be the fifth largest
emitter on the planet. Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) report
https://noharm-global.org/articles/news/global/webinar-health- care’s-climate-footprint-report-findings-and-opportunities
The NHS produces higher emissions than the global
average for healthcare and is responsible for 5.4% of the UK’s total carbon emissions
Equivalent to 11 coal-fired power stations not much lower than those for both aviation, and
agriculture, forestry and land use in the UK (each 6.5%) Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) report
https://noharm-global.org/articles/news/global/webinar-health-care’s-climate-footprint-report- findings-and-opportunities
SDU 2018. Reducing the use of natural resources in health and social care 2018 report
Medical instruments Pharmaceuticals Anaesthetic gases Inhalers
Energy
Eg.
Eg.
https://www.sduhealth.org.uk
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2016 (with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare)
Sustainable value =
environmental + social + financial costs (the “triple bottom line”)
Dr Alex Wilkinson https://greeninhaler.org/ The most commonly used inhaler in the UK has a carbon footprint of 28kg per inhaler. Dry powder inhalers have a carbon footprint of less than 1kg
Dr Alex Wilkinson https://greeninhaler.org/
The aid describes the different types of inhaler which may be
used by the estimated 5.4m people in the UK who have asthma
26 million prescriptions for metered dose inhalers were written
in primary care in England in 2016/17.
They made up 70% of UK inhaler sales in 2011, compared with
just 10% in Sweden.
https://www.nice.org.uk/news/article/nice-encourages-use-of-greener- asthma-inhalers
Important to
involve patients and the public in the discussion about how to reduce our carbon emissions
Currently, implantable loop recorders are offered - requiring the
specialist skills of a consultant to implant.
LINQ heart rhythm monitors can be fitted away from the pacing lab
by a physiologist rather than a consultant https://map.sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/projects
No follow up appointments A radical reduction in the length of day patient visits, shrinking energy
demands per intervention and increasing throughput
Less equipment and clinical waste Reductions in sedation Reduction in nursing and consultant staff time Free up consultant time to perform more complex cases
Savings per year:
£50,985 (Estimated) CO2 savings per year: 23.3 tonnes CO2e (Estimated)
Dr C Swarbrick, Dr P Valentine, Royal Devon and Exeter NHSFT 2019