Sustainable Health Newsletter - January 2010
Happy 2010!
Carbon Indicators for everyone!
The Department of Health has sent each NHS organisation their own individual Carbon Indicator (CI) which covers water, sewage, high temperature disposal, landfill, non-burn treatment and recycling. A letter has been sent out to all CEOs, a copy of which, containing further information, can be seen on the resource page of the Sustainable Health website.
The Carbon Indicator has been developed to assist Trusts in continuing to identify their wider carbon footprint. It is based upon the format that is now commonly recognised for indicating the energy efficiency of buildings (Energy Performance Certificates EPCs & Display Energy Certificates DECs) or equipment such as white goods. The model has been developed with the assistance of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Environment Agency and other stakeholders, such as the NHS SDU and the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). This is to ensure the model continues to improve and reflects the current conversion factors for greenhouse gases.
HFMA briefing document - Carbon Reduction in the NHS, a Role for Finance
The Department of Health has recognised that the NHS has an important role in both reducing its own carbon footprint and setting this example. The clear message is that NHS organisations cannot afford to delay and need to take action now. What is less clear is the role that finance managers have within this overall strategy to reduce carbon. This briefing sets out to investigate the specific drivers forcing finance to take a direct interest in carbon reduction and play a leading role in the overall achievement of the carbon reduction targets. It is a good summary document that will be of use to all Directors of Finance and their teams, as well as anyone wanting background support to the financial importance of carbon reduction. To view and download the document, visit the resource page of the Sustainable Health SW website.
Last chance! Monitor consultation on Annual Reporting Requirements...help Sustainability make the list!
Sustainability has been included in Monitor's consultation on additional annual reporting requirements 2009/10, setting out its proposals for additional annual reporting requirements for NHS foundation trusts for 2009/10. The proposals in the consultation cover five main categories of reporting: Quality, Sustainability, Valuing people (Equality and diversity and Staff feedback), NHS Constitution and Regulatory findings. The consultation document includes the examples of the proposed format of reporting in each of the above five categories, and indications as to how reporting requirements in each of these, and the related assurance, may be likely to develop. The consultation closes on Monday, 25 January 2010. For more information and to download the consultation document and response document, visit the Monitor website.
Don't forget!
- The forum on the Sustainable Health SW website! Signing up to the forum is an easy way to ask questions of other Network members and share information. It also allows you to access your own 'my account' page on the site, which allows you to send and receive messages, access newsletters and take part in forum discussions. Visit the Sign-up page to get started!
- The next three NHS Sustainability Network meetings will take place on Tuesday, 9 March in Exeter; Wednesday, 9 June in Bristol and Thursday, 9 September (location TBC). The 9 March meeting will focus on staff involvement, so if you have anything to share or include, or would like more information about the Network, please lynn.gibbons@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk " target="_blank" title="Link to Lynn Gibbons email">contact Lynn
- Your information is vital! If you have any good ideas or best practice, projects that worked really well (or should have, but didn't) or helpful contacts or links please share them! There's so much great stuff going on across the region that other organisations would be ken to hear about! So if you have anything to share, however small, please lynn.gibbons@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk " target="_blank" title="Link to Lynn Gibbons email">contact Lynn