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Open Access 01-12-2024 | Climate Change | Research

Transitioning to sustainable, climate-resilient healthcare: insights from a health service staff survey in Australia

Published in: BMC Health Services Research | Issue 1/2024

Abstract

Background

More than 80 countries, including Australia, have made commitments to deliver climate-resilient and low carbon healthcare. Understanding how healthcare workers view their own and their organization’s efforts to achieve sustainable and climate-resilient healthcare practice is vital to inform strategies to accelerate that transition.

Methods

We conducted an online staff survey in a large state government hospital-and-health-service organisation in Queensland, Australia, to ascertain attitudes and practices towards environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient healthcare, and views about the organizational support necessary to achieve these goals in their workplace.

Results

From 301 participants showed staff strongly support implementing sustainable and climate-resilient healthcare but require significantly more organizational support. Participants identified three categories of organizational support as necessary for the transition to environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient health services and systems: (1) practical support to make sustainability easier in the workplace (e.g. waste, energy, water, procurement, food, transport etc.); (2) training and education to equip them for 21st century planetary health challenges; and (3) embedding sustainability as ‘business as usual’ in healthcare culture and systems.

Conclusions

The research provides new insight into health workforce views on how organizations should support them to realize climate and sustainability goals. This research has implications for those planning, managing, implementing, and educating for, the transition to environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient health services and systems in Queensland, Australia, and in similar health systems internationally.

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Title: Transitioning to sustainable, climate-resilient healthcare: insights from a health service staff survey in Australia
Publication date: 01-12-2024
Keyword: Climate Change
Published in: BMC Health Services Research / Issue 1/2024
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6963
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10882-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Transitioning to sustainable, climate-resilient healthcare: insights from a health service staff survey in Australia

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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