Towards healthy, resilient communities in a changing climate

Jim HodgsonClimate Change Advisor

13th July 2015

Outline

• Adaptation and the health impacts of climate change: the rationale

• Response in the new local health and social care system

• Making the case for adaptation in your local area

Adaptation and the health impacts of climate change: the rationale

‘EXTREME’ WEATHER IN THE UK2000 – flooding2001- flooding2003 – heatwave2005 - flooding2006 – drought2006 - heatwave2007 – flooding2008 – flooding2008 – snow and ice2009 – snow and ice

2009 – flooding2010 – flooding2010 – snow and ice2011 – warm spring2011 – warm autumn2012 - drought2012 – wet summer2013 – snow and ice2013 – heatwave2014 – flooding

Overall

relative impact score

5

Pandemic Influenza

4

Coastal Flooding

Effusive Volcanic

eruption

3 Major industrial accidents

Major transport accidents

Other infectious diseases

Inland Flooding

Severe Space Weather

Low Temperature

/Heavy Snow

Heat wave

2 Zoonotic animal

disease

Drought

Volcanic Ash disruption

Storms and Gales

1 Public Disorder

Severe Industrial Action

Non-zoonotic

animal disease

Greater than 0.005%

Greater than0.05%

Greater than0.5%

Greater than5% Greater than 50%

Cabinet Office National Risk Register

Why adaptation is necessary

The significant seven: effects of climate change on health, wellbeing, and the health and social care system

8

Adapting to the health effects of climate change

National Adaptation Delivery Group:Healthy and Resilient Communities

Obj. 11. Reduce the risk of death & illness associated with severe weather events & CC… increase preparedness & resilience to impacts on public health…

Obj. 12. Ensure continuity of services & resilient assets / estates, adapt to expected increased demand from severe weather-related events…

Obj 13: To minimize the impacts of climate change on vulnerable groups in society by strengthening their resilience to better prepare for, respond to and recover from future climate risk.

Obj14: To promote and strengthen community resilience to severe weather related events linked to climate change and the climate resilience of the emergency services

NAP Steering Group – DH, PHE, SDU, NHS England, Defra, EA

Climate Ready Support Service

• Programme first launched in 2012• Part of Government's wider adaptation programme• Aim: to help ‘key sectors increase their resilience to climate risks’

by incorporating climate risk management into routine business decision-making:

Response in the new local health and social care system

Response in the new local health and social care system

Adaptation for Health and Wellbeing Boards: toolkit for effective solutions at the local level

Adaptation Toolkit:– Expert panel– Created for practitioners by practitioners– Supports the SDU strategy for the health

and social care system

Extensive consultation and

testing

Stakeholder

Advisory Panel

Technical Advisory

Group Developing the toolkit

Getting Ready:

Understanding the benefits of adaptation

Taking action in the new health and social care system

Becoming climate ready:

Tools and resources for adaptation

Making the case for adaptation in your local area

UNCLASSIFIED

Think SD! - Supports growth, saves lives, improves wellbeing

Health and social care sector can provide leadersPeople trust health care professionals1.3 million workers involvedTouches all of our lives

• Raise awareness and communicate case for actionPublic engagement, transformational behaviour changeEngage with H&WBBsChallenge risk managers

Empowering others to adapt

1952 London Smog

Autumn 1952

"I suggest we form a committee. We cannot do very much, but we can seem to be very busy and that is half the battle nowadays."

- Harold MacMillan

‘Salus populi suprema est lex’. Cicero

jim.hodgson@environment-agency.gov.uk

www.sduhealth.org.uk/undertheweather

Thank you