Thursday 11 April 2024 | 15:00-16:00

Format: Presentation

Stream: Leading

Content filters: Features discussion of global climate emergency, Co-presented with patients, service users or carers

Heather Shearer QIClearn, Scotland (Chair)

Claire Snyman Two Steps Forward, Canada (Chair)

PART 1:  Making environmental sustainability and quality improvement a reality: practical steps for health

This session will describe an increasing need for healthcare to address all three pillars of sustainability as part of their improvement journey, to deliver financial viability, social equity and increasingly important, environmental sustainability.  Whilst some of these elements are already included within quality improvement initiatives, consideration of the environmental impact of the delivery of healthcare is often overlooked.  This presentation will outline practical steps that health leaders can take to inculcate understanding of environmental issues into QI training for healthcare, encouraging the consistent consideration of environmental metrics to reduce waste, cost and minimise the impact of delivery of care on the health of the planet as well as patients.

As a result of this session, participants will be able to:

• Recognise the importance of health and care workers as trusted ambassadors with a message about environmental sustainability


• Describe ways to engage other groups to support the effort to reduce adverse impacts on the climate


• Feel confident to engage colleagues from manufacturing, third sector and patient groups to reduce impact of their services and practices on the planet

Elaine Mead Improvement, Care and Compassion, Scotland

Susan Hannah Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), England

Jen Leonard Barts Health NHS Trust, England

 

PART 2: Greener pharmacies: working together to reduce the impact of healthcare

RPS worked with NHS England to develop evidence-led guidance for pharmacy settings and staff outlining key actions to reduce the environmental impact of pharmacy practice.

We will discuss how we worked together to identify key areas of focus and engaged with key stakeholders to ensure the improvement work would be achievable and relevant.

We will discuss the challenges we faced in taking the work forward and how we overcame these.

We will look at the toolkit which has been developed, its application in everyday practice and how it will ensure pharmacy’s contribution towards achieving NET Zero by 2040-2045

As a result of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand how to work collaboratively to deliver quality improvement frameworks


• Know how and when to engage key stakeholders to ensure you produce content that is relevant and achievable


• How to manage challenges along the way and work as a team to find solutions

Minna Eii Royal Pharmaceutical Society, England

Wing Tang Royal Pharmaceutical Society, England