So this is what I have been up to over the last couple of weeks:
1. Some reading on national and local resources-still ploughing through Stern’s “Blueprint for a safer planet.”
2. David Pencheon kindly identified some key contacts in the North East Region.
3. I wrote a letter to the Strategic Estates Adviser to NHS North East at the Strategic Health Authority. We arranged a meeting at the Strategic Health Authority, situated just outside Newcastle in Newburn (not quite sure why I’m setting the scene in quite such detail).
Meeting Outcomes:
1. I certainly learnt a lot! The Strategic Estates Adviser (SEA) had a wealth of experience and expertise in sustainability within the NHS. We went through the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method): Healthcare standard. We focussed on the chapter on transport- as this is the area in which I had expressed an interest.
2. FOCUS: The SEA advised that I focus on one aspect. I had been tentative about having a fixed agenda as I had been hoping that there would be an existing project/ network that I could join up with. I am still hoping to link up with others working on existing projects…But in the meantime I am going to look at transport across the strategic health authority.
3. BACKGROUND READING: SEA will send BREEAM: Healthcare standards documents- the chapter on transport will be particularly useful. I was given a copy of the Sustainable Development Unit’s procurement carbon reduction workbook to read.
4. KEY CONTACTS: SEA will send a contact list for the Sustainable Development Leads for the North East Strategic Health Authority.
5. REPORT ON TRAVEL: I will contact each of the Sustainable Development Leads asking for a copy of each trust’s “Green Travel Plan” (something that each trust is supposed to have). The SEA felt it would be useful for the Strategic Health Authority to combine the information into one document as they do not have this information. Within the report, I will compare NHS trusts to one another as well as to a model travel plan as set out by BREEAMS/ the Sustainable Development Unit. I will feed the document back to the Sustainable Development Leads as the information may enable trusts to learn from those that have performed slightly better. Throughout this process I will be in contact with Mustafa/ David Pencheon/ and the SEA seeking advice about how best to present the data and what to do with it.
TROUBLESHOOTING
- The SEA warned me that some of the Sustainable Development Leads may not respond as they are not officially appointed positions. If this happens I will contact the Trust exec. and go from there.
- If I receive an overwhelming amount of data I will try to find one or two other medical students to help put the report together.
I am pleased by the positive response from the SEA, and excited about having a focus and a potential project to get stuck into. Woop!
Much love xxxx
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