11/07/2023
Good morning,
I am writing with regards to the NHS green plan. Having worked in the NHS for nearly 16 years, I am excited about the NHS Green plan. I live and work in Cornwall, I have spent the last 9 years working in Accident & Emergency., largely at the Treliske Hospital.
The initiative that the hospital is looking to undertake in order to reach its carbon footprint targets is both attainable and achievable I believe. One of the areas that is of significant interest to myself is having freshly grown organic vegetables, or at best locally sourced.
I have leased with the link green representatives within the department I work in and asked that we could have polly tunnels erected in order to begin growing our fresh food and to stop using mass transported foods being driven from miles away and by no means fresh at the point of service. This I believe would significantly boost patients mental health if they had garden spaces and could be outside, as well as Staff’s too.
With Agenda 2030 fast approaching and the NHS under huge stress and strain to improve and change its approach and methodology to chronic conditions. As a nurse I have seen all to well the effects of unhealthy lifestyle choices, hence can we look at being more environmentally friendly in our food production and making it more wholesome and nutrient dense to bring about optimal health for patients who are oft at best served a microwave meal.
The WHO has stated that we need to be turning towards more of a plant based diet, thus reducing carbon footprints, avoiding foods that contain anti-biotics amongst other chemicals that cab cause anti-biotic resistance. It is also a known fact that medications inhibit nutrients absorption, thus the need for nutrient dense foods.
I would ideally like to see lifestyle clinics set up for patients who need more lifestyle interventions and educational classes being run to help promote healthier lifestyles.
Kind regards
Darren
