On Wednesday 22 January, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP joined an expert panel to discuss ‘Accelerating the Delivery of Net Zero Healthcare: Sustainability, Resilience and Patient Care’.
The roundtable discussion was hosted by Holyrood Magazine in partnership with AstraZeneca. Participants explored how we can continue to make our healthcare system more sustainable and resilient, in a way that delivers for people and planet. Read the write-up of the event in Holyrood Magazine.
The Sustainability Action Programme’s very own Wendy Rayner (Head of the NHS Circular Economy Programme, Scottish Government) was asked to be part of the expert panel, alongside the Cabinet Secretary and attendees from across the public and private sectors and academia.
Attendees at the roundtable – photo by Andrew Perry
Hearing from attendees
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP said “The Scottish Government has set the NHS on a path of modernisation and renewal. As we reform health and care services, we must build towards a more sustainable healthcare system that delivers better value care, and the outcomes that matter for the people we care for.
“Our NHSScotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy focuses on improving the environmental sustainability of the NHS, while also recognising the wider economic, social and community benefits that come from working together to ensure a Just Transition to net zero.
“Our discussions at the roundtable event demonstrated the commitment from across the health and social care sector – from our hardworking NHSScotland staff to academia and industry – to working in partnership to improve population health and wellbeing, reduce health inequalities and improve the sustainability of our health and social care system.”
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP – photo by Andrew Perry
Wendy Rayner (Head of the NHS Circular Economy Programme, Scottish Government) said: “Transitioning to a circular economy provides many opportunities for the NHS in Scotland.
“Exploring innovative ways of reusing, repairing, remanufacturing and recycling gives us the opportunity to find solutions that keep patients at the heart of everything we do, while providing wider economic benefits and opportunities to increase resilience in our supply chains and reduce risk.
“It was encouraging to hear the range of perspectives on how we can collaborate and share expertise, and also to hear how our sustainability efforts – from right across the NHS in Scotland – are recognised in forums like these.”
Wendy Rayner (Head of the NHS Circular Economy Programme, Scottish Government) – photo by Andrew Perry
Caitlin Hamlett (Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, NHSScotland Assure, NHS National Services Scotland) said: “Environmental sustainability is central to reforming NHSScotland. Good care is environmentally sustainable care, and becoming more sustainable allows us to improve health outcomes, save money and adapt to future challenges.
“We established the NHSScotland Sustainability Action Programme to provide support, guidance and tools, using a collaborative, Once for Scotland approach, to help health boards across Scotland deliver the NHSScotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy locally.
“There’s incredible work already happening across Scotland to make our NHS more sustainable – and discussions like these help to open doors to further collaboration and innovation. I’d encourage people to get in touch if they want to explore ideas and opportunities further.”
Event attendees
- Rebecca McQuillan – Journalist, Chair
- Paul Sweeney MSP – MSP for the Glasgow region and Vice-Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee at the Scottish Parliament
- Dr Fiona Adshead – Visiting Professor at UCL and Senior Associate at Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
- Dr Camille Huser – Deputy Head of the Undergraduate Medical School at the University of Glasgow
- Dave Tudor – Managing Director of Pharmaceuticals, Healthtech and Quality
- Katie Murray – a chemical engineer at Astra Zeneca
- Matt Shaughnessy – Head of Operations Sustainability at AstraZeneca
Find out more
- Get in touch with the NHSScotland Sustainability Action Programme team by emailing nss.sustainabilityscotland@nhs.scot