This isn’t about penguins or polar bears anymore….

Climate change and the pivotal role of health professionals

I wasn’t expecting that line in this journal article from the journal of evaluation in clinical practice  here.

It might be preaching to the converted as the paper lays out some established strategies and some clear messaging. It identifies healthcare professionals as a lever for change.

While it mentioned some strategies to do locally, is it enough to make a significant change even en masse? Or should our attention be focused elsewhere?

It mentions some changes to prescribing behaviours, including the well established inhaler switches. I have had permission from the University where I studied Systems Thinking in Practice, to share my end of module paper which included some systems mapping to explore other alternatives to the inhaler switch. I will upload it to the documents section.

On reflection of this paper and after listening to ‘Systems Thinking: A primer’ by Donella Meadows, what I suggested might come across as naïve, as I do recognise it is a different lever, just a harder one to get going.

Any alternative ideas you have had to the norm? If so share them in the comments, however outlandish or controversial.