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Department of Health
Key contributions to sustainable development:
- The National Health Service (NHS) as a Corporate Citizen. Continuing to work with SDC’s Healthy Futures Programme to make the links between sustainable development and health. Central to this is the NHS’s ‘Good Corporate Citizen’ web-based tool, which enables NHS organisations to self assess and improve their performance as corporate citizens. Over 400 organisations have registered to use this model, including over 200 NHS bodies.
- Commissioning Framework for Health & Well-Being (2007). Key recommendations from this publication, which had a strong focus on the role of commissioners in creating healthy, safe, sustainable communities and improving well-being, are being taken forward in the 2008/09 Operating Framework and the World Class Commissioning Programme.
- Healthy Sustainable Communities. We are continuing to fund, extend and evaluate the current healthy communities initiative, to promote action across local organisations – voluntary sector, NHS, local authorities, business and industry – on a locally-chosen priority for health and build momentum for future change
- Health Impact. Regional Public Health Groups are working to integrate health with Sustainability Appraisal, and with Strategic Environmental, Health Impact and Equalities Impact Assessments, in the evaluation of regional strategies.
- NHS. There is now a newly established SD Unit in the NHS, based in the East of England SHA, with which DH is working to align DH and NHS strategies for Sustainable Development.
- An SD Strategy. Work is underway on an SD Strategy for the Department of Health, to complement the NHS strategy, embed sustainability in policy-making and identify the policy levers that can drive this agenda forward, particularly in relation to reducing carbon emissions.
- Carbon Management Plan. We are working with the Carbon Trust to develop a carbon management plan for DH and some of its Arms Length Bodies.
DoH - Sustainable Development Action Plan
Updated: 19 March 2008

