Buro Happold joins alliance in push for sustainable healthcare

14/10/2010 撰稿人：: Chris White

Practice supports new campaign for sustainability in healthcare reform

The Director of the Campaign for Greener Healthcare has written to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley – on behalf of the newly-created alliance ‘The Coalition for Sustainable Healthcare’ – to argue that sustainability needs to be put at the heart of current healthcare reform.

On behalf of organisations including international multi disciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold, Rachel Stancliffe said: ‘We applaud the brave redesign of the NHS but consider that you have not made use of one of the most powerful concepts you have at your disposal: sustainability.

“In order to deliver quality, including improved clinical and patient experience outcomes, via efficiency today and in the future, the only way to do it in a realistic way is through increasing the sustainability of care.

“Sustainable healthcare will enable us to save money and carbon at the same time as improving quality by working together in collaboration between government, local communities, businesses, and the third sector to create a new system with people at the centre of their health decisions.

“This response is provided by a coalition including representatives from all of these constituencies.

“We would like to emphasise that, apart from the close fit between sustainability and good health, this approach fits government and departmental priorities aimed at addressing a more active and healthy population, climate security and energy security.

“We very much hope that you will take this opportunity to ensure that sustainability as a key aspect of quality and efficiency is recognised and is embedded into all key frameworks and indicators.

“The legacy of this government will then be one of making the NHS fit for the future so that it is not vulnerable to external forces and where future generations are able to enjoy the same health and healthcare benefits available to all of us.”

The Coalition for Sustainable Healthcare includes representatives from The Campaign for Greener Healthcare, The NHS Sustainable Development Unit, Public Health, The Climate and Health Council, NHS Trusts, Map of Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2 Degrees Network, I Want Great Care, Patients Know Best, Buro Happold, Penoyre and Prasad, Better Value Healthcare, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Forum for the Future, UCLH, and others.