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We're recruiting NHS staff to be Climate Smart Champions

In 2019, the Welsh Government declared a climate emergency, signaling that Wales was committed to tackling the challenge of climate change.

In response to this, Welsh Government set a target of a net zero public sector in Wales by 2030.

NHS Wales is the largest public sector emitter of C02, with a carbon footprint of around 1.00MtC02e. This is the equivalent to almost 126,000 homes’ energy use for an entire year!

HEIW is committed to creating and driving sustainable change throughout NHS Wales. To do this, we are recruiting Climate Smart Champions from the NHS workforce.

 

What is a Climate Smart Champion?

A climate smart champion is someone who will lead on transforming NHS Wales into smarter, more successful, and more sustainable organisations.

We want colleagues at all levels of the NHS to implement sustainable change in their varied working environments.

This opportunity is open to anyone that works for the NHS in Wales.

This is an excellent addition to your Continuous Professional Development and helps connect you with colleagues across the NHS to help learn and develop yourself and your service.

 

What's Involved?

The training includes:

  • A self-study preparation period (approximately six hours)
  • A virtual workshop (four hour sessions)
  • Opportunities are available for ongoing project support and peer engagement via sustainable healthcare cafés throughout the year.

This initiative is part of HEIW’s drive to deliver against our organisational and NHS Wales responsibilities. These ensure that in three years’ time we will have embedded the latest decarbonisation knowledge and research into healthcare leadership, practice, training, and education, supporting a Welsh approach to sustainable healthcare.

In 2024/25, HEIW will make further training opportunities available – spaces will be limited, so please look out for further information on the Climate Smart Community and the HEIW website.

Next Steps

After completing the course and officially becoming one of our Climate Smart Champions, you have the opportunity to further cement your learning and build on your interest in Sustainability by joining the Climate Smart Community on Gwella.

The purpose of the community is to build a network to help embed climate smart thinking in healthcare, to provide support to members and learners, and to share, signpost and promote discussions, resources, and training opportunities.

It will provide ongoing support for Climate Smart Champions who have undertaken training via HEIW but is open to anyone who is interested in sustainability.

Join the network today!

Additional Training:

Aligned with HEIW’s commitment to sustainable healthcare education and training, we have identified a course on ESR that can improve your understanding of sustainable healthcare and how you can support it.

HEIW is promoting this module as the entry point to understanding what is required to achieve Net Zero in NHS Wales:

000 NHS Wales - Achieving Net Zero in Wales
 

If you would like to know more, there are also several other e-learning modules on ESR:

  • 000 NHS Wales - Climate Change and Sustainability
  • 000 Building a Net Zero NHS
  • 000 Environmental Sustainability in Quality Improvement
  • 000 Healthcare waste management and disposal

We encourage all colleagues to complete the NHS Wales net zero module and welcome your interest in Sustainability in HEIW.


If you would like to know more or get involved with making sustainable change in the workplace.

 

Please contact: HEIW.Planning&Performance@Wales.nhs.uk