Environmental crises such as climate change, air pollution and biodiversity loss are significant threats to population health. Tayside is not immune to the impacts of these threats as seen in recent flooding and other weather events across the area. NHS Tayside is committed to reducing its impact on the environment and the short term and longer lasting impacts that this can have on both the individual and our local populations health.
NHS Tayside has statutory duties and targets to reduce its negative impact on the environment and adapt to the changing climate, and has appointed an Executive Lead and Board Champion to support the delivery of these.
Climate Change and Sustainability
Welcome to the NHS Tayside Climate Change and Sustainability pages where we aim to keep you updated on all the great work underway in NHS Tayside to reduce our carbon footprint by lowering our emissions.
There is an urgent need to address climate change and improve environmental sustainability across the world. To do this locally, we need all our services and partners working together to create a more sustainable environment for now and into the future.
There is an urgent need to address climate change and improve environmental sustainability across the world. To do this locally, we need all our services and partners working together to create a more sustainable environment for now and into the future.
The five main sustainability themes
NHS Scotland’s has released its Climate Emergency & Sustainability Strategy 2022-26 which focuses on five main themes of the types of changes required:
- Sustainable Care
- Sustainable Communities
- Sustainable Goods and Services
- Sustainable Travel
- Sustainable Buildings and Land
These main areas have been the focus of the local NHS Tayside Climate Change and Sustainability Board and the supporting infrastructure which has been put in place to deliver on our targets and ambitions locally.
We are not starting from a blank page, there has been a lot of work already taken forward by talented and passionate individuals who have delivered numerous projects which have already reduced our carbon footprint. Some examples of which are the removal of desflurane gases in theatres, supporting general practices to reduce inhaler gas propellants by switching to dry powder ones, switching our fleet vehicles to electric vehicles, encouraging more active travel, reducing our energy use through various initiatives, and using more greener energy where we can, increasing access to greenspaces, and improving our recycling, but there is still lots more work to be done!
The work stream structure supporting the delivery of our targets is shown below and each work stream has a chair and lead which you can find in the “Meet the Team” section.
We are not starting from a blank page, there has been a lot of work already taken forward by talented and passionate individuals who have delivered numerous projects which have already reduced our carbon footprint. Some examples of which are the removal of desflurane gases in theatres, supporting general practices to reduce inhaler gas propellants by switching to dry powder ones, switching our fleet vehicles to electric vehicles, encouraging more active travel, reducing our energy use through various initiatives, and using more greener energy where we can, increasing access to greenspaces, and improving our recycling, but there is still lots more work to be done!
The work stream structure supporting the delivery of our targets is shown below and each work stream has a chair and lead which you can find in the “Meet the Team” section.
Staff Green Champions
Watch out for the launch of our staff Green Champions programme and how you can get involved to support us to achieve our targets and improve the future environment for ourselves and our children in Tayside.
If you have any ideas for a project, or are able to commit time to any of the groups, please contact the team at tay.climatechange@nhs.scot
If you have any ideas for a project, or are able to commit time to any of the groups, please contact the team at tay.climatechange@nhs.scot