Events

Allied Health Professions Sustainability Network events

The Allied Health Professions Sustainability Network is a place for clinicians, students, educators, and researchers to connect, exchange ideas, and share events and resources related to sustainability in the allied health professions.

View all upcoming events on the Sustainable Healthcare Networks Hub

Greener Allied Health Professions (AHP) Week 2024

Monday 22 April to Friday 26 April

Find all the event resources and an event schedule on the Future NHS platform. If you do not have access to this space, you can request permission from the workspace manager at the given link or email seniorahp-manager@future.nhs.uk

The link between climate change and health is well established yet the care we are delivering often contributes to the problem by adding to greenhouse gas emissions. In October 2020 the NHS became the first healthcare system in the world to set a target to be carbon net zero. As health professionals and care organisations we have a responsibility to deliver high quality care which does not compromise the health of our patients now, or in the future. AHPs are well placed to contribute to net zero while ensuring high quality care for all.

The Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) set out to highlight the role of AHPs in Delivering a net zero NHS.

What AHPs do every day makes a difference. The actions we take to improve health and reduce health inequalities also improves our planet. Common AHP interventions that improve patient’s health, like encouraging active travel, promoting healthy eating, and supporting good mental health are part of the solution to climate change. There are great projects being explored and delivered by AHPs throughout the UK; this is a chance to showcase and share these things and encourage further action.

This Greener AHP week is an opportunity to:

  • share projects and ideas for AHPs to get involved
  • raise awareness of the links between health and climate change, the NHS net zero ambition, and the shifts required to build a Greener NHS programme, nationally and regionally
  • support each other and grow networks
  • consider what a greener NHS might look like and what the benefits can be for us all.

You can read more about the success of last year’s Greener AHP Week on the Sustainable Healthcare website.

Current list of events

Register via the Sustainable Healthcare Networks Platform.

Monday 22 April

  • Launch of Greener AHP Week (10:00 to 11:00)
  • Introduction to sustainable healthcare (12:00 to 12:45)
  • Walking aid reuse setting up a scheme in acute and community settings (13:00 to 13:45)
  • Virtual neuro rehabilitation (14:00 to 14:45)
  • Equipment reuse and recycling – acute and community settings (16:00 to 16:45)
  • The environmental impact of specialist physiotherapy for limb reconstruction (19:00 to 19:45)

Tuesday 23 April

  • Dietetic green activities – case study and audits (13:00 to 13:45)
  • The role of a clinical lead in net zero: ODP (14:00 to 14:45)
  • Greener by default: using behavioural science to make sustainable foods the easy choice (16:00 to 16:45)
  • Greener AHP projects: diagnostic radiography leadership placements (19:00 to 19:45)

Wednesday 24 April

  • An orthoptic department’s sustainability journey (10:00 to 10:45)
  • Community appointment days: everything under one roof (11:00 to 11:45)
  • Spotlight conversation: Suzanne Rastrick, CAHPO (England) and Nicky Philpott, Deputy Director, Greener NHS (12:00 to 12:30)
  • Guidance issued on sustainability in AHP curricula (13:15 to 14.00)
  • Guidance issued on sustainability in AHP curricula (13:15 to 14.00)
  • Planetary health report card: what is it? how are students using it? (14:15 to 15.00)
  • Role emerging greener placements for students (15:00 to 15:45)
  • AHP Susnet networking event: Becoming a Greener AHP (19:00 to 20:00)

Thursday 25 April

  • Low carbon care: net zero clinical transformation (10:00-11:00)
  • Green walking, green gyms and green spaces in acute mental health settings (11:00 to 11:45)
  • Urgent Community Response – Greening the Fleet (12:00 to 12:45)
  • Streamlining referral pathways to SLT and other green action (13:00 to 13:45)
  • Clean Air and Exercise: e-bikes for community staff (14:00 to 14:45)
  • What do we know about low carbon pathways in malnutrition and frailty? (15:00 to 15:45)

Friday 26 April

  • Empowering individuals for sustainable healthcare in forensic mental health (10:00 to 10:45)
  • The Carbon Literacy Project in Healthcare (11:00 to 11:45)
  • Centre for Sustainable Healthcare Green Space for Health Team (12:00 to 12:45)
  • Reducing single use waste in Operating Theatres (13:00 to 13:45)
  • Panel Round up of Greener AHP week: Q & A (15:30 to 16:15)

Past events

Greener AHP Week 17 – 24 April 2023

Find all the event resources on the Future NHS platform. If you do not have access to this space, you can request permission from the workspace manager at the given link or email seniorahp-manager@future.nhs.uk for access. 

Introduction to the greener AHP hub and walking aids reuse webinar – 1 December 2021

Find all the event resources on the Future NHS platform. If you do not have access to this space, you can request permission from the workspace manager at the given link or email seniorahp-manager@future.nhs.uk for access.

One of the biggest threats to our health, and our planet, is climate change. Contributing around 4% of UK emissions, the NHS and other UK health and care organisations must be part of the solution. Tackling climate change will ensure we can deliver high quality care for all, now and for future generations. Since the NHS became the world’s first national health system to commit to becoming carbon net zero in October 2020, the Chief Allied Health Professions Office (CAHPO) set out to highlight the role of AHPs in Delivering a Net Zero NHS. CAHPO further demonstrated her commitment to net zero in the strategy for England, AHPs Deliver.

The idea for a dedicated time to showcase and celebrate what allied health professionals (AHPs) are doing around environmental sustainability was born at the 2022 CAHPO conference.

What AHPs do every day makes a difference. The actions you take to improve health and reduce health inequalities also improve our planet. Common AHP interventions that improve patient’s health, like supporting physical activity, encouraging active travel, and promoting healthy eating, are part of the solution to climate change.

The first Greener AHP week is an opportunity to:

  • Learn and share what it means to be a more environmentally sustainable AHP.
  • Raise awareness of the links between health and climate change, the NHS net zero ambition, and the shifts required to build a Greener NHS programme, nationally and regionally.
  • Build support and grow networks through showcasing AHP and wider initiatives and actions that others can get involved in.

You can access the webinar resources in Greener AHP Resource Library – National AHP Virtual Hub. If you do not have access to this space, you can request permission from the workspace manager at the given link or email seniorahp-manager@future.nhs.uk for access.