Health systems use resources to treat people. However, this same resource use can result in environmental effects through carbon release, resulting in illness.
Harry Simmonds
18 July 2024
Alumni shortlisted for Nursing Times Awards 2024 for sustainability
They both conducted Quality Improvement Projects in their own clinical organisations
Two alumni of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice have been shortlisted for Nursing Times Awards in the category of Sustainability in Nursing and Midwifery.
The dissertation module on the MSc requires the students to conduct a Quality Improvement Project in their own clinical organisation. Students on the programme are qualified healthcare professionals from a range of healthcare disciplines including nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and pharmacy.
Both shortlisted students are nurses working in Advanced Clinical Practice Roles.
Principles of Sustainable Quality Improvement (SusQI) have been taught on the dissertation module for this programme since 2021. The module includes the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) workshop on SusQI based on the CSH educator pack.
Debbie Cook's project focused on improving sustainable prescribing of inhaled therapy for patients with airways disease at Guy's and St. Thomas' Foundation Trust who were part of the project team.
Harry Simmonds' project aimed to improve the escalation process and shared clinical decision making in an urgent community response pathway at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
Both nominations recognise the important contribution of their staff colleagues who worked on their projects and demonstrate the impact of education for sustainability embedded within the curriculum.
Harry continues, 'This paradox has concerned me for a long time. The SusQI framework offers a way to tangibly make a difference and create environmentally sustainable change. I am very proud of my team for undertaking a project that enhanced the quality of care for our patients while considering the economic, societal, and environmental impact'.
Undertaking the Quality Improvement Project for my dissertation provided me with the knowledge and skill set to implement sustainable changes to the teams prescribing / recommendations of inhaled therapy, central to the management in patients with airways disease.
Debbie Cook
Debbie says, 'National guidance and strategy, primarily the NHSE, Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ NHS report (2020), highlighted the impact of carbon emissions from pressurised meter dosed inhaler (pMDI’s) specifically, which is currently the most common prescribed inhaler in the UK, contributing 3%. The project was successful in reducing the incidence of pMDI prescribing, with a focus on dry powdered devices as first line choice where clinically appropriate.'