The NSWNMA participated in the AHHA / CAHA Greening the Health Sector Policy Think Tank held in Sydney on 22 August 2012.
Feedback about the day has been very positive and the launch of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network in Australia received extensive press coverage.
Below is a link to the AHHA website where you will find the Think Tank Report and copies of the speaker’s presentations.
http://ahha.asn.au/event/greening-health-sector-policy-think-tank
The initial actions that the AHHA will be undertaking include:
- Contacting the ACHS in relation to the strengthening of accreditation criteria relating to sustainability
- Development of a clearinghouse to support information sharing
- Contacting the Chair of the COAG Standing Committee on Environment and Water (SCEW) to highlight the Global Green and Health Hospitals Agenda and the links with the SCEW program
In response to the strategies identified at the Policy Think Tank the following action has already occurred –
1.1 National coordination
Knowledge sharing: Establish mechanisms to utilise web-based communication and other low-carbon methods to support knowledge sharing and networking.
The AHHA is liaising with Health Care Without Harm and Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network to develop a case-study template and web-based resource centre.
A case-study template has been developed –
http://greenhospitals.net/case-studies/template/
Note that the template is in an trial phase and modifications are likely to occur as the program develops
The case studies will be reviewed and published (if appropriate) at
http://greenhospitals.net/case-studies/
1.3 Introducing performance measurement, accreditation and benchmarking
The AHHA has written to the ACHS highlighting the limited coverage of sustainability issues in the current version of the EQuIP standards and offering assistance to develop more robust criteria in the area
2.1 Chemical exposure
3.1 Waste Management
4.1 Energy management and production
5.1 Water conservation and recycling
The AHHA has written to the Hon Tony Bourke MP (Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Populations and Communities and Chair, COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water) to highlight the parallels between the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Agenda and the Terms of Reference of the Standing Committee on Environment and Water
Resource Spotlight :
Getting Started on Choosing Safer Products and Chemicals at Your Health Care Institution
– an introduction to managing chemical exposure produced by Health Care Without Harm
http://www.noharm.org/lib/downloads/chemicals/GettingStarted_ChoosingSaferProducts.pdf
