There is no doubt of the urgency needed to tackle climate change and to adapt to its impact. The NHS commitment to mitigating its carbon footprint is an important starting point that is enabling trusts to start, or continue, their journey to drive down carbon emissions towards the NHS net zero target.
The impact of the climate emergency on people's health and wellbeing is understood by clinicians and leaders across the NHS. They also understand that actions to address its effects now can reduce inequality and tackle poor health outcomes influenced by the impact of climate change. Trusts are therefore altering their ways of working, the services they offer, and the relationship they have with the resources they consume and embedding sustainability into business as usual. This includes embracing digital, using data to accelerate
change, evolving clinical practice with both patient and environmental benefits in mind, and focusing on the role of trusts as anchor institutions to drive change effectively.
As trusts and systems develop their green plans to submit by March 2022, it will be important that their broader approach galvanises staff to propose changes within their organisations and encourages them to adopt changes in their own lives. That is why engaging with NHS staff and drawing on their enthusiasm for this mission is a common thread throughout all our case studies.