The Albanese Labor Government is today announcing a new collaboration between key health sector partners to deliver action on the government's health and climate strategy.
In a joint statement released today, 19 major organisations announced they will work together to deliver a framework for action on climate and health. This includes supporting a workforce-led health system response to climate change.
With more frequent and extreme climate events, climate change presents a serious health and wellbeing challenge to Australians. The World Health Organization has described climate change as the greatest threat to global health this century.
The cross-sector collaboration aims to ensure our health system is prepared to respond to these challenges, while protecting the health and wellbeing of all Australians. The framework will support Australia's clinicians to deliver high-value care that protects and promotes the health of all Australians in a changing climate.
The collaboration was born from a multi-college roundtable meeting earlier this year, led by Professor Paul Kelly, Chief Medical Officer and Head of the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control, and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's Chief Executive Officer, Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan.
Assistant Minister Ged Kearney released Australia's National Health and Climate Strategy at the 28th United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai in 2023.
The joint statement 'Working together to achieve sustainable high-quality health care in a changing climate' is available on the Commission's website www.safetyandquality.gov.au/js-climate
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, Ged Kearney MP:
"From extreme heat to more frequent bushfires, climate change is forever changing our environment and how we live. Australia needs a health system that is prepared for these challenges.
"This historic joint statement underpins a more resilient and responsive health system to address the impacts of climate change. It focuses the health sector on reducing its own contribution to climate change while preparing to tackle the challenges of our changing climate.
"To address climate change we need everyone at the table. I'm proud the Commission, the interim CDC, and Australia's medical colleges have all come together for this important statement.
Quotes attributable to Head of the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control, Professor Paul Kelly:
"We can see the impact of a changing climate on the health and wellbeing of Australians, and the roundtable I co-hosted laid bare the challenges facing the entire health sector.
"We need to address how health contributes to climate change and work to enable the health system to better respond to the growing impact of climate change.
Quotes attributable to Chief Executive Officer, Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan:
"The Commission is a keen advocate of the health sector taking action to address the environmental impact of climate change, by improving the appropriateness and sustainability of health care.
"The joint statement reflects the serious impact of our changing climate and a shared commitment to reducing the health system's contribution to carbon emissions. A key part of this is ensuring that care is evidenced-based and that Australians can access the most appropriate treatment choices.
"We are delighted to be partnering with the interim CDC and medical colleges to strive for a more sustainable health system for the people of Australia."
Quotes attributable to President of the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges, Dr Sanjay Jeganathan:
"I am pleased that member colleges worked collaboratively with the Commission and the Department of Health and Aged Care to reach agreement in a joint statement, on the need for the medical profession to address the contribution the provision of medical services makes to Australia's emissions and global heating.
"The colleges have collectively indicated through signing on that a coordinated effort, along with their existing programs to reduce carbon emissions, is the best way to make a long-term impact."
