Climate impact on health -Medact Yorkshire

 

Yesterday evening I joined the zoom meeting held by our Yorkshire MedAct group. I am from Yorkshire with a daughter, son-in-law & grandson in Tadcaster so I was keen to see what the group were doing. I also am encouraging my daughter to join in future meetings as she is a Health & Safety consultant in Yorkshire up to Hadrian's wall.  So sat in my garden near Heathrow I listened to amazing speakers.

Points in my notes:

Health & Social workers see what happens to people as direct impact of climate change. 

Health & Social workers need to be strong voices.

We will become climate migrants as UK hit with more flooding. 

Heatwaves lead to drought and deaths from heatstroke.

Asthmatics have excerbation of condition with combination of air pollution in heat.

There is a link with dementia from air pollution.

Need to become carbon literate refs: 

Carbon literacy website

Speak Carbon Earth

Know your own carbon footprint.

Have a plan for crisis.

Declare a climate emergency. Ref:  Health Declares - Climate Crisis

Climate Change puts pressure on health sector. 

There was a brilliant presentation by Alexis Percival on impact on Ambulance service.

Mental health problems 

Injuries in floods 

Water borne infections 

Hypothermia 

Heat exhaustion

Vector carrying insects.

There is a need to make NHS a Greener NHS.  Alexis presented how ambulance stations & ambulances can become green. 900 ambulance stations around UK.

Fuel review for Ambulances from diesal to green hydrogen.

There was a discussion on sourcing and manufacturing hydrogen gases.

See link to the meeting recording Medact Yorkshire recording 2nd June 21