Escalating climate change is hazardous to the health of Australians. It also creates additional strain on healthcare systems and threatens to disrupt access to care.
Advocacy group Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) therefore welcomes the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s (ACSQHC) draft framework of actions. Health services can use this framework to ensure their services are improving the safety and quality of care, while addressing the health system’s sizeable contribution to climate change.
The draft ACSQHC Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience Healthcare Module is being piloted at approximately 40 sites around Australia. The pilot will provide an opportunity for health services to discuss their current strategies and the barriers they face in adopting the new climate resilience and environmental sustainability module.
Aligned to the Module is the Hospital Sustainability Project Tracker, which is designed by DEA. This will shortly be publicly available on DEA’s website.
The Project Tracker is prepopulated with recognised initiatives with a focus on governance and leadership, workforce education and engagement, clinical care delivery, facilities management, and procurement to provide inspiration and guidance to hospital leadership teams, clinicians, health care professionals, and staff.
It aims to introduce, track progress, and report on environmental sustainability activities across an organisation. The Project Tracker focuses on mitigation (aiming to reduce the emissions associated with healthcare delivery), rather than adaptation (aiming to make our healthcare system more resilient to our changing climate).
Says the Project Tracker’s co-lead, Dr Sonia Dr Chanchlani, "As we navigate the imperative for sustainability in healthcare, it's clear that bold, systemic changes are necessary.
“Our approach with the Project Tracker underscores the critical role of leadership, education, and collaboration in driving impactful environmental initiatives within healthcare organisations.”
Says co-lead Dr Ben Dunne, “To achieve a net-zero health-care sector, transformative changes in how we manage our facilities and deliver clinical care are required.
“Healthcare sustainability initiatives should be embedded organisation-wide. By working together,, we can pave the way toward a net -zero healthcare sector, ensuring a healthier future for all."
Organisations interested in participating or contributing to the ACSQHC pilot can contact the Commission at [email protected]
To find out more about the DEA Tracker, contact [email protected]
Link to the ACSQHC Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience Healthcare Module | Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
Media contact
DEA Media and Communications Manager Carmela Ferraro, 0410 703 074 / [email protected]