Richardson J, Kagawa F, Nichols A
Professor of Health Services Research, Faculty of Health and Social Work, University of Plymouth, 3 Portland Villas, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, U.K.
Environ Health Insights. 2008 Nov 17;2:97-103. doi: 10.4137/ehi.s950.
A number of policy documents suggest that health services should be taking climate change and sustainability seriously and recommendations have been made to mitigate and adapt to the challenges health care providers will face. Actions include, for example, moving towards locally sourced food supplies, reducing waste, energy consumption and travel, and including sustainability in policies and strategies. A Strategic Health Authority (SHA) is part of the National Health Service (NHS) in England. They are responsible for developing strategies for the local health services and ensuring high-quality performance. They manage the NHS locally and are a key link between the U.K. Department of Health and the NHS. They also ensure that national priorities are integrated into local plans. Thus they are in a key position to influence policies and practices to mitigate and adapt to the impact of climate change and promote sustainability.
The aim of this study was to review publicly available documents produced by Strategic Health Authorities (SHA) to assess the extent to which current activity and planning locally takes into consideration climate change and energy vulnerability.
A retrospective thematic content analysis of publicly available materials was undertaken by two researchers over a six month period in 2008. These materials were obtained from the websites of the 10 SHAs in England. Materials included annual reports, plans, policies and strategy documents.
Of the 10 SHAs searched, 4 were found to have an absence of content related to climate change and sustainability. Of the remaining 6 SHAs that did include content related to climate change and energy vulnerability on their websites consistent themes were seen to emerge. These included commitment to a regional sustainability framework in collaboration with other agencies in the pursuit and promotion of sustainable development. Results indicate that many SHAs in England have yet to embrace sustainability, or to integrate preparations for climate change and energy vulnerability within their organisational strategies. Evidence also suggests that SHAs that have recognised the importance of sustainability within their documentation and policies have yet to fully demonstrate this in practice through the implementation of these policies.
Further research is required to investigate means by which SHAs (U.K.) and agencies responsible for health service policy in other countries may be enabled to include a greater consideration of sustainability and climate change within their policies, and to find effective ways of implementing these policies within daily working practice.
一些政策文件表明，卫生服务机构应认真对待气候变化和可持续性问题，并已提出相关建议，以减轻和应对医疗服务提供者将面临的挑战。这些行动包括，例如，转向本地采购食品供应、减少浪费、能源消耗和出行，并将可持续性纳入政策和战略之中。战略健康管理局（SHA）是英国国民医疗服务体系（NHS）的一部分。它们负责制定当地卫生服务的战略，并确保高质量的绩效。它们在当地管理国民医疗服务体系，是英国卫生部与国民医疗服务体系之间的关键纽带。它们还确保将国家优先事项纳入地方计划。因此，它们在影响政策和实践以减轻和应对气候变化影响并促进可持续性方面处于关键地位。
本研究的目的是审查战略健康管理局（SHA）发布的公开文件，以评估当前当地的活动和规划在多大程度上考虑了气候变化和能源脆弱性。
2008年，两名研究人员对公开资料进行了为期六个月的回顾性主题内容分析。这些资料来自英格兰10个战略健康管理局的网站。资料包括年度报告、计划、政策和战略文件。
在搜索的10个战略健康管理局中，发现有4个没有与气候变化和可持续性相关的内容。在其余6个在其网站上确实包含与气候变化和能源脆弱性相关内容的战略健康管理局中，出现了一些一致的主题。这些主题包括与其他机构合作致力于区域可持续性框架，以追求和促进可持续发展。结果表明，英国许多战略健康管理局尚未接受可持续性，或在其组织战略中整合应对气候变化和能源脆弱性的准备工作。有证据还表明，那些在其文件和政策中认识到可持续性重要性的战略健康管理局，尚未通过实施这些政策在实践中充分体现这一点。
需要进一步研究，以调查使英国战略健康管理局和其他国家负责卫生服务政策的机构能够在其政策中更多地考虑可持续性和气候变化，并在日常工作实践中找到实施这些政策的有效方法的途径。
