Sustainable Healthcare: Interview with Jacqueline Gordon

Published on 11 May 2024 at 08:34

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Jackie has had a varied Occupational Therapy career, beginning in social services, housing adaptations, community and inpatient paediatrics. She then focused on neurosciences at Great Ormond Street hospital, working with children with brain tumours.

An interest in sustainability has influenced Jackie's OT practice. At Great Ormond Street she developed a project to supply sustainable period products to patients, at a time when no sanitary products were provided. This was supported through being an NHS Green Champion, which provided practical support and advice.

In 2023 Jackie cycled from London to Glasgow as part of a national clinical team, who collectively took a letter from The World Health Organisation in Geneva to COP 26 (UN Climate Change Conference). The letter asked for consideration around the links connecting climate change and air quality with childrens health.

In September 2023 she took a twelve months secondment as one of ten national Clinical Fellows in Sustainability. The Fellows take leadership roles in driving forward the NHS net zero target, through engaging the clinical workforce. Jackie’s role involves working with the sustainability team in Sussex Integrated Care Board, particularly in regards to Allied Health Professionals. This includes looking at grant applications and working with projects to ensure patient outcomes and consideration of the carbon footprint, for example virtual rehabilitation, equipment re-use and a green impact assessment tool.

In April 2024 Jackie played a key role in organising Greener AHP week, with five days of free online webinars. This included a wide variety of presentations including sustainable period products, greening the community fleet, reducing single use waste and green spaces in mental health settings, which are now all available to view on the Greener AHP week youtube channel.

We spoke about the impact of air pollution on our health, and the role that active travel and electric vehicles can play in reducing this, both in our personal and professional lives. Also the impact that climate change is having on physical and mental health through flooding, wildfires and drought. We also spoke about the mental health benefits of green spaces for patients and staff in clinical settings, and provision of trees through NHS Forests.

OTs have a role to play in reducing the workplace carbon footprint through questioning how things are done at work and considering greener options. This may include utilising technology, reducing plastic waste, discussing environmentally friendly occupations such as recycling and active travel with service users, being mindful of equipment overprescription, streamlining referral pathways, engaging students in sustainable projects, and linking in with sustainability teams. Jackie discusses how sustainability can be included as part of CPD, team meetings and pre-registration education to embed it into all areas of practice. We also discuss the personal responsibilities we have in being aware of our own carbon footprints.