The Greener Palliative Care Award

Summary

We are proud to announce and delighted to celebrate that five organisations have been awarded a Greener Palliative Care Award (GPCA). The GPCA recognises excellence in environmental sustainability across palliative and end-of-life care services in both NHS and charitable organisations (such as hospices). It celebrates organisations that are reducing their environmental impact, while maintaining the highest standards of compassionate care for patients and families.

Content

The Palliative Care Sustainability Network ran a pilot scheme where teams worked through the GPCA framework towards either Bronze, Silver or Gold award. 

Applicants were supported to work towards achievable standards, set out for each level, and were supported with resources and examples linking the teams with national work by bodies such as Greener NHS and the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. 

Teams worked on key organisational changes, such as developing and delivering on Green Plans, together with actions that all staff (and volunteers) could work on. From cutting carbon emissions and reducing waste, to adopting sustainable procurement practices and promoting greener travel, the awardees demonstrated that quality care and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.

If you are interested in reducing your own team’s environmental impact, want to meet the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) standard on environmental sustainability, or you just want to improve team working and job satisfaction in your workforce, why not get started on the Bronze GPCA? Open to all palliative care organisations free of charge, the Bronze award focuses on getting together, education, raising awareness and identifying the first areas to tackle in improving environmental sustainability.

Sign up to our Palliative Care Sustainability Network page or email [email protected] and join the growing movement of climate conscious healthcare workers!

More information can be found here: https://apmonline.org/greener-palliative-care-award/

The Award team have been working with the support of the following organisations: The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, Hospice UK, Sue Ryder, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and the Association of Palliative Care Medicine.