Dear colleagues,
I am writing to request support for a proposed internal podcast project titled “Healthy Planet, Healthy People – Connecting Sustainability and Healthcare for a Better Future.”
This project forms part of my Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability apprenticeship and represents my final work-based project. I am currently based within the maternity unit in Rosie Addenbrooke's as Resource Coordinator, where I am developing this initiative as a practical and applied piece of work rather than a purely theoretical exercise.
My intention is for this project to be genuinely useful to Cambridge University Hospitals and not simply remain as a written submission. I hope it may contribute to staff engagement, learning, and communication around sustainability in an accessible and engaging format, particularly for NHS staff, apprentices, and new starters. Potentially, it could also become a useful learning resource for platforms such as DOT Learning in the future.
The purpose of the podcast is to support learning, awareness, and engagement around sustainability within CUH, while also contributing to staff induction and ongoing professional development. The project will initially be piloted within CUH, with potential for wider dissemination across the NHS if successful.
The first episode will focus on a discussion with clinicians exploring the relationship between health and climate change. In the future, I would also like to explore important topics such as the impact of environmental factors on maternal and foetal health, the role of plastic reduction in healthcare settings, the importance of green spaces for human health and wildlife, and practical approaches to reducing energy consumption within hospital environments such as Addenbrooke’s. The possibilities for discussion and education are extensive.
One of the reasons I believe a podcast is the right format for this initiative is because podcasts have become one of the most engaging and accessible forms of communication across all social groups, especially among younger generations. In a digital era where social media often leaves people feeling disconnected despite being constantly online, podcasts offer something more human, personal, and reflective. They create connection through conversation, storytelling, and shared experiences, while also helping to bring different cultures, perspectives, and communities closer together. I believe this format could help sustainability conversations feel more relatable, inclusive, and engaging for NHS staff and audiences alike.
I would also like to ask if you might be interested in following the development of this project more closely as it evolves, particularly if you feel there may be potential for future growth or wider organisational value.
This pilot episode is intended to form the foundation of a longer-term series. Should it prove successful, there is potential for further development and wider sharing across the NHS to support sustainability learning and engagement.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
If possible, I would also welcome the opportunity to meet with you by team to discuss the project further and hear your thoughts.
Hi Silvana. I think with the recent news about RoundUp being sprayed on crops before harvest, its application on timber forests in America and, so many other instances of chemical spills into our water and soil, that the health of the soil/land must also be explored with serious conviction. Our food is coated with chemicals, unless organically grown. There is research linking to cancer etc, which brings it full circle back to the NHS and waiting times/TATs for diagnoses.