On 1 October 2014 the South Regional Sustainability Network (SRN) hosted a conference to promote sustainability and share good practice across the health care, social care and public health system. Slides from the conference are now available.

Sustainability is an important issue for the health and social care system. A recently published national Sustainable Development Strategy describes the vision for a sustainable health and care system that works within the available environmental and social resources protecting and improving health now and for future generations. This means working to reduce carbon emissions, minimising waste and pollution, making the best use of scarce resources, building resilience to a changing climate and nurturing community strengths and assets.

The public health, NHS and social care systems in the South have established a Sustainability Network to implement actions from the national Sustainable Development Strategy. The network is made up of local leads from across the health, care and public health systems that link local champions, networks, and examples of good practice. The network is growing and developing and keen to involve as many people from across the region in its work. As part of this growth, the network held a conference that will bought together leaders and those with an interest in sustainability from the NHS, public health and social care, voluntary organisations and other partners to share ideas about how the South region can begin to address the sustainability challenge.