NHS: Carbon Emissions

(asked on 14th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to deliver the low carbon commitment in the NHS England Long Term Plan; and what discussions he has had with pharmacy organisations on the role of pharmacists in helping patients decide whether to opt for low carbon inhalers.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 21st March 2019

The Sustainable Development Unit (SDU), a joint NHS England and Public Health England unit, has established a cross sector working group on low carbon inhalers. The group includes representation from a number of patient and clinician groups, as well as cross Government representation.

A cross system approach is now being developed into a system wide implementation plan, with specific actions being delivered by individual members of the group. All actions are supporting progress towards or exceed the NHS Long Term Plan commitment on low carbon inhalers. This will contribute to the overall National Health Service commitment in the Long Term Plan to reduce carbon emissions in line with the UK Climate Change Act.

The SDU is also engaging centrally with systematic data collection and data provision systems for clinicians and local system leaders to help ensure that clinical and strategic decision makers are aware how their local area is performing with regards to achieving the national targets in the Long Term Plan and what options are available for them to further reduce the carbon emissions of local prescribing and inhaler waste management practice.

Reticulating Splines