UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change brings together doctors, nurses and other health professionals to advocate for responses to climate change that protect and promote public health.
UKHACC seeks interim Director
The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change is seeking a new Director, to deliver the Alliance’s strategy, overseeing our communications, policy and public affairs programmes, and liaison with Alliance members and key external stakeholders.
For a year from early March UKHACC Director Nicky Philpott will be seconded to the Greener NHS team, which is working to deliver NHS England’s target to become carbon-neutral by 2040. During this time the Alliance will appoint another director to lead our work.
Their role will place them at the heart of the advocacy and engagement efforts on public health and climate change, working alongside senior officers and the communications and public affairs teams from the Medical and Nursing Royal Colleges, Faculties and Societies, leading medical journals, and the British Medical Association. The Alliance is hosted by BMJ, which provides services like finance and human resources.
The role of director requires a dynamic and independent professional, capable of coordinating strategy across complex issues, managing projects under pressure, and working with senior health professionals.
Details of the role, responsibilities and requirements can be found here, and applications (including a CV and supporting statement) must to be sent to nicky.philpott@ukhealthalliance.org by Thursday 25 February at 17.00.
Sign up to support
You can now register to receive email updates about our latest news and campaigns, and how you can support them.
Our Principles for a #HealthyRecovery
Coronavirus has shown the strength of the world’s united health community. But, as we come through this, it’s vital that we don’t lurch from one health crisis to another, driven by climate change and environmental degradation. The world needs is a #HealthyRecovery – one that improves human health, and builds resilience in health systems, and in the environment upon which our health depends.
In a collaboration between medical experts amongst our membership, and climate scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, we’ve developed six principles which the UK government must follow in designing and delivering their post-Covid economic recovery package to ensure a #HealthyRecovery.
Prioritise health for people & planet. Every decision should be assessed in relation to its impact on health and climate, as much as on the economy. Measures should exceed existing commitments to protecting health and the environment. Let’s strengthen standards, not sacrifice them.
Build a resilient & sustainable economy. Rather than seeking to return to how things were six months ago, the government’s recovery measures must increase the resilience of our economy, and of our key services, social systems, population health and environment.
Accelerate carbon reduction. Recovery must be consistent with the government’s commitment to achieve carbon net-zero in the UK by at least 2050. Rather than simply avoiding carbon intensive sectors, investment must be targeted on low carbon and carbon reduction industries.
Reduce health inequalities. Covid-19 has revealed further health inequalities in the UK, and reminds us that crises do not affect everyone equally. The same is true of climate change. The government take this opportunity to close the gaps through their recovery package.
Follow the science. Recovery should draw on the insights of health and climate scientists, as well as economists. Health professionals have protected our health in the crisis, now the government must engage with them to safeguard it against the growing threat of climate change.
Recovery is everyone’s responsibility. Covid-19 has shown our capacity for collaboration across sectors. Businesses, public services, and communities have all stepped up to respond. Our recovery also needs to draw on all of the talent our country has to offer – not least from the health community.