As the third largest workforce within the NHS, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) have an important role to play in supporting ambitions for environmental sustainability at the same time as reducing health inequalities and improving the public’s health.
Since the NHS became the world’s first national health system to commit to become ‘carbon net zero’ in October 2020, the national AHP leadership team across NHS England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (previously Public Health England), has set out to highlight the role of AHPs in Delivering a Net Zero NHS.
We started by seeking views from the AHP workforce about sustainable health and care, and the opportunities and barriers to delivering this work. Insights were gathered from across the 14 distinct professions, with responses from the four UK nations encompassing a wide range of different work settings. The results demonstrated that AHPs are already passionate about sustainable healthcare, with many championing work in this space contributing to the delivery of a net zero NHS across the breadth of health and care.
The thematic analysis of the responses showed the following five key priority areas for AHPs:
- Public health and prevention
- Digital healthcare
- Food and diet
- Use of equipment/single use plastics
- Environmental sustainability literacy
The results were used to inform the development of the Greener Allied Health Professional Hub which provides:
- Information on the importance of environmental sustainability for both population health and the health of the environment.
- Examples of the ways in which AHPs are already doing things which improve environmental sustainability.
- Suggestions of how AHPs can contribute in relation to environmentally sustainable practice, digital, food and diet, use of equipment and public health and prevention.
Many of the key areas for change are already within AHPs’ scope of practice and clinical influence, such as equipment, models of care and food. Moreover, many AHPs already focus on preventative and rehabilitative interventions which keep people healthy and reduce their need to access healthcare services. This in turn helps to reduce carbon emissions through reduced healthcare activity.
This week AHPs are celebrating their roles in the first Greener AHP week which provides an opportunity to:
- Learn and share what it means to be a more environmentally sustainable AHP.
- Raise awareness of the links between health and climate change, the NHS net zero ambition, and the shifts required to build a Greener NHS programme, nationally and regionally.
- Build support and grow networks through showcasing AHP and wider initiatives and actions that others can get involved in.
Today has a focus on public health and prevention. We know climate change and health inequalities are closely related.
Those most affected by climate change are also the populations most at risk of health inequalities, like poorer air quality, living in poor housing and less access to green space and healthy food.
Preventing ill health or intervening early to stop an illness getting worse means there is less need for carbon intensive healthcare interventions later.
Fewer admissions equal less emissions.
Health improvement interventions such as promoting physical activity and active travel, healthy eating and improving air quality not only benefits staff, patients, and communities, but also cuts costs and emissions too.
AHPs and other health care professions are encouraged to build on what they are already doing by:
- Continuing actions to reduce health inequalities and prevent ill health.
- Supporting patients to take greater control of their own health and reduce unnecessary healthcare visits.
- Using ‘making every contact count’ conversations to help patients improve their health at the same time as protecting the environment.
- Advocating and using your voice: AHPs are respected professionals with the power to make change.
For more information about what you can do to deliver net zero, check out this free e-learning
