{"id":14739,"date":"2021-09-29T08:53:25","date_gmt":"2021-09-29T07:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=14739"},"modified":"2021-09-29T08:53:25","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T07:53:25","slug":"making-healthcare-sustainable-a-holistic-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/making-healthcare-sustainable-a-holistic-approach\/14739\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Healthcare Sustainable \u2013 A Holistic Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gemserv Health discusses the necessity of making healthcare sustainable and how the industry can play a key role in tackling climate change.<\/h2>\n

In an early autumn doomed by news of rising gas prices, there is certainly a lesson to be learned about the domino effect one issue can have on many others.<\/p>\n

The global squeeze on gas and energy supplies has indeed led to the closure of two of the UK\u2019s largest fertiliser plants, which has in turn caused a shortage of carbon dioxide usually produced as a by-product. This ripple effect is not uncommon.<\/p>\n

Climate change is already exacerbating issues across all areas of global economies \u2013 including our healthcare services.<\/p>\n

With a polluted environment directly contributing to public health issues like respiratory diseases, exposing people to asthma and pneumonia, we can expect a heightened demand for care as global temperatures continue to climb. There is also a risk that supply will be reduced at the same time, particularly as staff become unwell.<\/p>\n

Hospitals could also be faced with having to operate in higher temperatures whilst having to reduce their carbon footprints<\/a> in line with commitments for a \u2018greener NHS\u2019 \u2013 which currently accounts for 5% of the UK\u2019s total carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

The challenge at hand shouldn\u2019t be underestimated.<\/p>\n

What steps should be taken to ensure the healthcare system is sustainable and fit for the future?<\/h3>\n

Innovators, clinicians, operational teams, and consulting firms have been investing time, money, and skills to answer this question \u2013 or at least taking steps towards doing so.<\/p>\n

The answer revolves around the hottest subject of the 21st<\/sup> century: \u2018sustainability\u2019. The notion of sustainability has transitioned over time, shifting from its earliest definition \u2013 \u201cnever harvesting more than the forest can generate1<\/sup>\u201d <\/em>\u2013 to becoming a more inclusive concept built on economic, social, and environmental pillars.<\/p>\n

In recent decades, the accelerated call for sustainability has seen many industries and companies around the world adapt to new and sustainable ways of doing business. We have seen fundamental changes to how people bank and shop, for example, with the rise of online capabilities leading to the disappearance of shops and banks from our high streets and the reduction in travel to city centres by car.<\/p>\n

We have also seen a commitment from the UK government to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.<\/p>\n

Is the Healthcare sector keeping up with the transition?<\/h3>\n

October 2020 saw the NHS publish a plan for \u201cDelivering a \u2018Net Zero\u2019 National Health Service\u201d\u2019 \u2013 outlining a comprehensive plan for meeting a \u2018world first\u2019 target. The plan is comprehensive \u2013 providing a detailed account of modelling and analytics, interventions required, and trajectories to net zero, all coupled with the direction, scale, and pace of change.<\/p>\n

Two clear targets have emerged from the net zero commitment and have been classified according to NHS\u2019 control of emissions:<\/p>\n

Direct control<\/strong> \u2013 emissions that are directly emitted and controlled by NHS facilities. This includes fossil fuels, NHS facilities, anaesthetics, and NHS Fleet and Leased vehicles. Target: Net zero by 2040, ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2028 to 2032.<\/em><\/p>\n

Indirect control<\/strong> \u2013 emissions the NHS can influence but not directly emitted within NHS facilities. This includes electricity, energy, metered dose inhalers, business\/staff travel, waste, water, medicines, medical devices, food and catering, construction, manufacturing, freight transport, business services, ICT, and commissioned health services. Target: Net zero by 2045, ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2036 to 2039.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

The Net Zero Strategy – one small piece of the pie<\/h3>\n

However, current challenges faced by the NHS raise questions about how well the sustainability concept has been applied in the health sector.<\/p>\n

The Net Zero Strategy places great emphasis on the supply chain, for example, but misses the opportunity to make service delivery centre of the debate. Applying the Net Zero Strategy in isolation means we will have an impact on the carbon footprint of the NHS but at the cost of missing a critical opportunity to address the whole sustainability ecosystem. Simply put, implementing the Net Zero Strategy is only one small piece of the pie.<\/p>\n

The Gemserv<\/a> team is currently engaging with pharmaceutical trade associations and supporting them to understand exactly this. One observation is that there is an ability for the pharmaceutical industry to contribute to the bigger challenge \u2013 as helpful as it is to reduce direct emissions from the supply chain, it is also vital to understand the direct impact of this on service delivery and the healthcare ecosystem as a whole. This is true in several other areas, including regulators and those assuring quality of care.<\/p>\n

Finding a solution<\/h3>\n

So how should the transformation of the healthcare system be done?<\/p>\n

From our experience in major transformation across all systems, we know that a holistic approach is the way forward \u2013 regardless of the change required.<\/p>\n

Until we look at the sustainability ecosystem holistically and understand the impact of every Net Zero Strategy on service delivery and patients, the system will continue to fail. This approach must consist of pillars of equal strength; if one is weaker than the rest, the entire system will topple over.<\/p>\n

Guided by our experience delivering transformational changes across a range of industry sectors \u2013 including both the energy and healthcare markets \u2013 we have developed a clear set of principles to ensure success:<\/p>\n