The Greener NHS team has launched the ‘Healthier Planet, Healthier People’ staff engagement campaign, which aims to empower all staff – from nurses to physios to chefs and porters – to join in and create a greener, sustainable health service in a way that is meaningful to them.
Climate change poses a major threat to our health. Tackling climate change through reducing harmful carbon emissions will improve health and save lives. In the UK, air pollution is the single greatest environmental threat to human health, accounting for one in 20 deaths. Reducing emissions will mean fewer cases of asthma, cancer and heart disease.
NHS staff overwhelmingly support a greener NHS – almost nine in ten support the NHS net zero ambition. And this support is turning into action. Since 2010, the NHS has cut its carbon emissions by 30%. One year on from setting our net zero targets, the NHS is on track to reduce its emissions equivalent to powering 1.1. million homes for a year.
This is thanks to NHS staff pioneering greener ways to reduce emissions across medicines, transport and healthcare buildings, as well as finding lower-carbon ways to care. These changes are already improving patient care today, as well as the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the public, but there is further to go.
Join the campaign
The ‘Healthier Planet, Healthier People’ staff campaign launched to coincide with the start of COP26, the world’s largest climate action conference. Developed in collaboration with people across the NHS from a diverse range of roles, it brings to life the link between our health and that of our environment. The Greener NHS team wants to help staff discover how the NHS is becoming greener – and how staff action is already helping to improve the delivery of care for patients today, as well as improving health now and for generations to come.
With more than 1.3 million staff, small actions from everyone will add up to make a big difference.
