Environmental Audit Committee scrutinises sustainability in the NHS.

In March, as part of its inquiry on sustainability in the NHS, the UK Government’s Environmental Audit Committee held a public evidence session to examine sustainable development governance and operations.  MPs questioned SDU’s Sonia Roschnik, the Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gina Radford and John Holden, head of Policy Partnerships & Innovation at the Department of Health on the extent to which the NHS is set up to deliver on the Sustainable Development Strategy and progress so far.

The discussion covered the following areas:

•    the National Steering Group
•    NHS Trust Sustainable Development Management Plans
•    Dr Radford’s strategic role as Sustainability Champion within the Department of Health
•    the implications of missing the 2020 ‘carbon target’ of 34% reduction on 1990 levels.
•    the possibility and potential impact of fossil fuel divestment as part of the Strategy
•    obligations on NHS commissioners to minimise environmental impact and for large providers to maintain Sustainable Development Management Plans
•    the pharmaceutical industry voluntary engagement process, including the development of carbon footprinting methodology
•    procurement and the possibilities for mandatory sustainability measures  as part of procurement processes
•    sustainability as an integral element of models of care and as a driver of prevention
•    Foundation Trusts’ freedom from sustainability reporting requirements
•    Climate change adaptation and the SDU report due in May 2015 and the possiblilty of an action plan

A central theme was the balance between mandatory policy levers and the current system of largely offering guidance and support, allowing NHS organisations autonomy in the way they implement change.

Further details of the Inquiry are available at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/news/sustainability-nhs/

The full public evidence session is available for view online at: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/f0e05c12-3b84-46db-863f-747f577bd6ff