The Health and Sustainability Hub supports Public Health Wales to meet its duties under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. It also works with the wider public health community and stakeholder organisations to maximise the opportunities provided by the Act to improve health and well-being and reduce inequalities.
You can engage with the work of the Hub by e-mailing: [email protected]
We welcome calls and correspondence in Welsh. We will respond in Welsh without delay.
Our work
What we do:
The ‘Health and Sustainability Hub’ has several supporting roles in maximising the opportunities for public health from this pioneering legislation.
The Hub’s programmes of work include supporting Public Health Wales, as a public body in the Act, with its contribution towards each of the well-being goals, and in applying the sustainable development principle, to become an exemplar, championing and sustainable organisation.
In addition to this, the Hub supports the wider public health system in its role on the Public Services Boards to enhance the potential to improve health and well-being.
The Hub works with and supports other public bodies and cross-sector stakeholder organisations to strengthen the impact of the Act on public health, including environmental sustainability.
What we have done:
Recent work has included supporting the development of a Health Impact Assessment on the potential health implications of home working and supporting the development of the International Horizon Scanning and Learning reports to inform Wales’ Covid-19 Public Health Response and Recovery in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Work has also included presenting a webinar to our partners in the Netherlands to share Wales’ experience and learning around the Sustainable Development Goals and developing an online workshop to support teams and individuals within public bodies to identify and reduce their impact on the environment.
Current work is in areas such as climate change in Wales, developing e-briefings to support a Covid-19 green recovery by identifying opportunities to support priority areas, working with key stakeholders in Wales and Europe in the Joint Action on Health Equity Europe (JAHEE) Programme and continuing to support the development of the International Horizon Scanning reports.
Addressing Single-Use Plastic and Waste in Public Health Wales’ Microbiology Labs
The report highlights the highest carbon emission single-use plastic and waste items used in PHW’s Microbiology Laboratories and identifies recommendations to switch to more sustainable alternatives. The solutions identified can be replicated across the wider healthcare sector.
Research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and shift to more agile working, on Public Health Wales’ carbon footprint
The report looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to more agile working on Public Health Wales’ carbon footprint, focusing on both operational and staff homeworking emissions. The report covers four key areas of emissions, procurement, travel, business/ site and homeworking. The emissions for each area have been calculated for 2019/20 and 2020/21 to compare the difference between the two years, identifying the impact on our carbon footprint for each key area, along with key insights and recommendations.
Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on Public Health Wales’ Emissions
The five infographics share the key findings and recommendations of the research project to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to more agile working on Public Health Wales Carbon Footprint. The infographics cover the overall findings and the impact on emissions for the four key areas; procurement, homeworking, business/ site and travel emissions. They include detail on the overall recommendations for PHW, along with suggestions on how individuals can help to reduce their carbon emissions.
Resources for Sustainable Health
Helping organisations and individuals to consider the natural environment and the health of the planet and people in everything they do. The Resources for Sustainable Health e-catalogue gives a brief summary of all the resources produced by the Health and Sustainability Hub. The resources promoted in the e-catalogue will help teams and individuals reduce their impact on the environment and climate change, and encourage sustainable behaviour in both their work and home life. The resources are a mixture of e-briefs, reports and toolkits, which bring together research, ideas, suggestions and practical actions. Some are aimed at individual or team level, some at organisation, national, or international policy level, to support sustainability, improve health and well-being, help embed the Well-being of Future Generations Act and reduce our impact on the planet.
SIFT Healthy Environment Workshop
The SIFT Healthy Environment workshop provides an opportunity for teams to identify their environmental impacts and do something to reduce them. It not only looks at the activity of the whole team but also of the individuals that form the team. The SIFT Healthy Environment workshop is based on four strategic themes (decarbonisation, biodiversity, zero waste and climate change) to enable teams to develop an action plan to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to any existing environmental management systems within their organisation.
Be the Change – Procurement that doesn’t cost the earth
Procurement is costly. Welsh public sector spends £7 billion on procurement. A huge 62% of the 2018/19 carbon footprint for NHS Wales was from procurement. Sustainable procurement can mean considering not buying things at all, buying energy and resource efficient goods, ethical goods such as Fairtrade coffee, or locally sourced products and services which support local businesses. It can also support the delivery of organisational priorities and well-being objectives, and ultimately improve the economic, environmental, social, and cultural well-being of Wales. The e-guide gives advice for anyone buying goods and services on ways we can take action by thinking about what we need, where it comes from, how long it will last and the impact it has on people, nature and planet.
Cutting our Carbon Emissions
This infographic explains why climate change is a significant threat to health. It includes facts about climate change and suggests actions we can all take to reduce our impact to help protect human health as well as the health of the planet.
Be the Change Well-being Goals Challenge
The Well-being Goals Challenge sets out six separate behaviour change challenges that inspire us to act to live more sustainably. They are designed to be undertaken on your own, with your team mates or as a team to team challenge. Drawing on Wales’ Well-being Goals and the wider United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the challenges focus on Slow Fashion, Plant-based Diet, Towards Zero Waste, Healthy Travel, Ethical Consumer and Supporting Wildlife, with sustainable steps provided to guide you on your challenge journey.
Helping Nature to Flourish
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts mow likely on people around the world. Our health and well-being depends upon a healthy environment, which includes using our natural resources in a sustainable way and supporting biodiversity. This e-guide will help individuals take action for biodiversity at every opportunity to reverse its decline in Wales and globally, for its intrinsic value, and to secure our own well-being.
Health and Sustainability Hub Team:
Eurgain Powell
Programme ManagerEurgain is the Sustainable Development Programme Manager within Public Health Wales’ Health and Sustainability Hub. She joined in March 2022 and her role is to support the implementation of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, through sustainability and climate change initiatives. Before joining the Hub, Eurgain worked as Change Maker for the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales leading work on decarbonisation, transport and procurement, influencing key Welsh Government strategies and decisions. She has worked in a range of organisations including the Climate Change Commission for Wales, Forum for the Future and Carmarthenshire County Council taking forward sustainability and climate change projects. Eurgain is very passionate about making a difference and protecting our planet for future generations. When not working she’s busy with local sustainability projects and enjoys spending time in nature, running, cycling and walking her dog.
Tracy Evans
Senior Sustainable Development OfficerTracy is the Senior Sustainable Development Officer in the Hub. She is working to raise awareness and understanding of sustainability and biodiversity to support Wales’ well-being goals and achieve a more sustainable future. Before joining Public Health Wales in 2020, Tracy worked for Caerphilly County Borough Council in a variety of policy and sustainability roles. Outside of work, Tracy enjoys walking and mountain biking.