Climate change the biggest threat to human health

Giving the opening presentation at the half-day online conference, titled 'The next steps for Net Zero and sustainability in the NHS', Dr. Pinto was introduced by the Chair for the first half of the event, MP for Crewe & Nantwich, Dr. Kieran Mullan — who before being elected as an MP in 2019, was an Emergency Medicine Doctor and Clinical lead for Outcomes Publication at the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership. He also previously worked at the Patients Association. In 2023, he published a review on the opportunities for Deep Geothermal technology in the UK, for Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.

Before welcoming Dr. Pinto, Dr. Mullan gave a brief scene-setting introduction: "The NHS Confederation is asking for an increase from £7.7 bn to £14.1 bn for NHS capital spending. We know there's funding for decarbonisation via the Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund, but also know that it is heavily oversubscribed," he commented. Dr. Mullen noted that the Climate Change Committee recognises heating buildings as 'one of, if not the biggest, challenges'. "You have almost 1000 hospitals to heat just as a starting point," he pointed out. "That leaves you facing this challenge of Net Zero by 2040 without the money you might want or need to do it. I've developed my own interest in this field — working with the Carbon and Energy Fund to explore how deep geothermal technology can deliver solutions for the NHS. It's a tried and tested source of clean heat being utilised across Europe, including in healthcare settings, and has great potential in the UK." He continued: "While I've talked a lot about buildings and heat, these aren't the only challenges we face. It's also about healthcare products, transport, and waste management."

Dr. Hayley Pinto, a former lead consultant addiction psychiatrist, had gained nearly 30 years' experience in the NHS and publicly funded services before joining The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare as its Education and Training lead in 2021. Throughout her career she has been involved in medical education, and was a senior honorary lecturer at the University of East Anglia. She has a Psychology degree, and early in her career completed general practice training before pursuing a psychiatry career. She has been involved in climate education, outreach, and activism for many years.