Do you want to complete some of your CPD and learn about Health and Climate Change and Sustainable Development (SD) at the same time? Well now you can.
The FPH Sustainable Development Special Interest Group (SD SIG) has put together a series of fact sheets. Each resource is a two-page introductory summary of a major topic in sustainable development, with references and signposts to more detailed information. The resources explain the relationships between the work of public health practitioners, the causes and effects of climate change, and health. You can read these fact sheets, learn more about sustainable development and log this activity in your CPD diary.
The topics cover areas of knowledge such as ‘Principles of Sustainable development’, ‘Health benefits of action on climate change’ and ‘Sustainable food systems’ which includes issues such as the contribution of agriculture to greenhouse gas emmissions (GHGE). There are also some ‘action’ resources e.g. ‘Adaptation to climate change’ which gives examples of health impacts and the adaptation required and how the built environment can be more climate resilient.
At the end of each resource there are specific CPD questions as well as the general CPD diary questions and there are model answers so that you can learn as you go and get credits in your CPD diary.
These resources are useful to everyone; whether you are a specialist trainee addressing competency 5.7 or you are a specialist or educational supervisor who wants to learn more about climate change and health or you are supervising your trainee. A survey of both SpRs and educational supervisors showed there was some good work in this area but that SD needed to be more embedded into routine placements and projects and that SpRs should be empowered to be leaders in SD.(1)
We’ve made this link between the resources on the FPH website and CPD as in the last membership survey it was identified that members wished for more CPD support from FPH. CPD is something we all do every day; we learn as we go and don’t always need to go to a specific training course. Over time the aim is for other SIGs to similarly make the explicit link between their intelligence and resources and your CPD.
Why is health and Climate change important?
- Lancet commission identified in 2009, that ‘Climate Change could be the biggest global threat of the 21st Century’.(2)
- Climate change science is real, but it is often difficult to get our heads round. The impacts of climate change can seem like a long way off, and we know that politicians and all of us find it hard to recognise this and take action on threats that are in the more distant future.
- The co-benefits of addressing health and climate change together are clear, for example increasing active travel is good for your health and good for the planet.
- Health brings home the real story of the impact of climate change; imperative, immediate and life changing. People’s health is being damaged today by climate change through effects ranging from deadly heatwaves in Europe, (I write this on what is being anticipated as the hottest July day in UK ever!) to rising dengue fever in the tropics, major floods and devastating fires.
- “We cannot delay action on climate change. We cannot sleepwalk through this health emergency any longer.” (3)
- For trainees and educational supervisors don’t forget the FPH Curriculum competency 5.7 – “Demonstrate leadership in environmental sustainability with a focus on the links to health and climate change”
So click this link, read these resources and chalk up some CPD credits as well as getting yourself up to speed on SD, health and climate change.
References
- UK Public Health Registrar Sustainable Development Network. Embedding Sustainable Development in UK Public Health Training: Update Report. November 2018. Available at: https://www.fph.org.uk/media/2268/sdn-report-final-2017-2018-nov1-1.pdf
- Lancet Commission. 2009. “Managing the health effects of climate change”. Lancet and UCL Institute for Global Health Commission. April 2009.
- Lancet Commission.2018. “Health and Climate Change: shaping the health of nations for centuries to come” Lancet. December. 2018
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