Should environmental sustainability and climate risk mitigation be a part of National Standards?
ANMF members have an opportunity to ensure environmental sustainability activities are included in the national accreditation framework.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has established a Sustainable Environment Advisory Group to provide expert advice and guidance to develop a climate risk module.
Climate change creates risk to health and healthcare services. An example of this was seen in last summer’s fires when an emergency relief task force was set up to deal with the increased demand on health services.
The climate risk module would ensure health services consider their vulnerability to climate change and how they contribute.
Many nurses and midwives are involved in activities to reduce the environmental impact of healthcare and reduce emissions. For example, the healthcare sector generates vast amounts of waste. By reducing, reusing, and recycling, members have improved quality healthcare while also reducing emissions and therefore, climate risk.
Together these activities add up to create change, at home and work. Each year members share projects they are involved in at the ANMF Health and Environmental Sustainability Conference. The module would ensure these sustainability activities are recognised as part of safety and quality in health service delivery.
Let the commission know this matters:
- complete the brief consultation survey (right hand side of the webpage)
- register for climate risk module updates
A draft of the module is expected to be made available for public consultation late in 2021.
