Coda Change

We are in the business of saving lives but we are missing the low hanging fruit. To save lives, we must teach ourselves but crucially, we must teach the public to do the basics exceptionally well. The first link in the chain, the bystanders, have to be involved and have to know what to do. Mike Abernethy talks to us about the importance of bystander action. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

Neurosurgery is time critical. Our job is essentially trying to avoid death and relieve pressure on the brain as quickly as possible. Acting rapidly is the most important thing we can do but achieving this in the outback and rural communities is challenging. How do we streamline the process to ensure that we care for all people, regardless of geographical location? For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts.

Every child born today will be affected by the climate emergency and affected at every stage of their lives. Canadian sub-arctic is already 2.5c warmer than 70 years ago. Unfortunately, all sorts of health impacts are linked to the climate crisis. Heat stress, chronic disease from air pollution, infectious diseases, malnutrition, famine, displacement… to name a few. We are already resigned to increased global warming which is now locked in for decades to come, so healthcare professionals need to find ways to cope with the ramifications of this inevitability. We need to take action on two broad fronts, firstly Mitigation to prevent further rises in global temperatures by decarbonising, and secondly Adaptation to prevent as best we can the catastrophic effects on our patients' health. The choices we make right now will have massive impacts on our children and their children. We can take action at a Micro level (our personal actions), Meso level (our hospitals, universities, and local communities) and Macro level (the whole of government). The cost of taking action on the climate crisis will be high but the cost of inaction will be way higher. It’s paramount we work together towards a healthier, sustainable energy source. Politicians have responded to Covid but why haven’t they responded to climate change evidence? A united front by healthcare professionals will deliver solidarity and make an impact. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

The NHS has committed to a net-zero target in 2040, for the carbon emissions that they control directly and a target of 2045 for the broader emissions they can influence. So why is the NHS doing this? It has heeded the science pointing to the climate emergency as the biggest health threat of the 21st century. Nine in ten NHS staff say that they want to see the NHS act more sustainably. What is a net-zero target? As the title suggests Net Zero emissions mean achieving a balance between the production and removal of Green House Gas emissions (GHG). For the NHS this requires actions to remove emissions across an ambitious and wide supply chain... from buildings to pharmaceuticals, MRI scanners, syringes, inhalers, and so on. It also includes the emissions that come from the patients, from visitors, from travel to and from the NHS, and from emissions well beyond the borders of the UK. So how will this be achieved? The NHS has an 80% reduction target by 2028. Most importantly, it will only commit to companies that meet or exceed their commitments on climate change. It has approved a national design for a hydrogen ambulance, the world’s first zero-emission ambulance, and new hospitals, with a visionary goal of being net-zero hospitals. Action is what is needed to improve the health of our community. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

In this episode, we examine some achievable, sustainable and most importantly, meaningful actions that healthcare can take on the climate crisis. Firstly, the climate emergency is not only a healthcare emergency but also a wealth emergency. Financial markets have realised the monetary cost of not taking action to reduce carbon emissions and now whether governments like it or not, the markets are driving change. Secondly, as investors, we have enormous power through our personal superannuation funds. Simple actions in how we invest personally, can have very meaningful outcomes in driving change to lower carbon emissions. Thirdly, at the healthcare delivery level, we learn from the bold initiatives undertaken by the NHS in the UK to adopt a net-zero emissions policy. As healthcare workers, we have a basic premise to 'first do no harm' which behooves us to examine the carbon footprint of our healthcare delivery. Finally, we must recognise that every child born today will be impacted throughout their lives by the climate emergency. We must formulate actions at a Micro (personal actions we can all take), Meso (collective actions that our institutions, universities, local communities and business partners can all take) and Macro actions (the whole of government). Tune in to watch or listen to four compelling conversations and a rallying call to arms. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

Re-evaluating how your super is invested can have a huge impact on mitigating the effects of the climate emergency. Why... because most people are invested in the companies that are responsible for climate destruction. The broader Superannuation system is currently worth about $3 trillion. By 2038, it is projected to be worth $10 trillion. With that size comes immense power. Have you ever thought to engage with your super fund and ask, “what are you doing about the climate crisis?” It’s one small step towards influencing massive change. When it comes to healthcare professionals, we are committed to a better world, but this needs to include our actions outside of the hospital. As healthcare providers, we don't want to support the Tobacco industry, we wouldn't want to invest in Asbestos and equally, we shouldn't be letting our super finance the fossil fuel industry. It is confronting to think that we may be profiting from our super being invested in companies that are huge carbon polluters. We cannot stand idle and be indifferent, we must take action. Stay tuned and watch or listen for more... For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

Financial markets have recognised that the climate emergency is also a financial emergency. A report out of Harvard recently stated that nearly 1 in 5 deaths globally are associated with burning fossil fuels. Incredibly, the Covid19 pandemic has changed how we see the climate crisis in a number of ways. Firstly, it resulted in an unprecedented decline in global energy consumption during 2020. Secondly, it showed us that in order to deal with the pandemic we must listen to science and take action at a global level. Thirdly and somewhat conveniently, a trade war emerged between Saudi Arabia, the U.S and Russia over oil, leading to a collapse in the price of both oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) and a 60% decline in the leading global oil companies. This resulted in pressure on the financial sector to transform their thinking around fossil fuels, as they realised the potential for the climate crisis to become a wealth crisis. A 60% collapse in the value of Exxon is a very good reminder to financial leaders that if they don't act on the science and they don't act on the risk, they stand to lose a lot of money. The price of wind energy has dropped 50%, solar energy 90% and batteries 90% over the past decade. The production of solar power in India is now cheaper than the continued running costs of existing coal-fired power plants. There is a tectonic shift that is accelerating and it is motivated by money. Watch or listen to this compelling podcast with Tim Buckley as to why financial markets are dictating that we pivot to renewable energy whether governments want to or not. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

We hear from passionate advocates in different medical fields, as they impart wisdom and discuss how we can all work to be advocates for what we believe in. As healthcare workers, we constantly work together as a team. We need to utilise that teamwork to stand up for what we believe in. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts 

A trauma patient has come in and they have a life threatening, non-compressible haemorrhage. We have a Code Crimson on our hands. In this scenario, your team and your performance can make a big difference to the outcome. We need to rely on protocols, standardised care, implicit communication and shared expectations to manage this as effectively and efficiently as possible. This is what Code Crimson is all about. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts

The logistical challenge of opening a COVID-19 treatment centre in a developing country is enormous. There is a significant lack of resources such as PPE and essential drugs, as well as medical specialists and sophisticated technology. Khairil Musa reflects on a deployment to Yemen and how in a city with 1.8 million people, having access to only 7 ICU beds led to devastating consequences. During the height of the pandemic, the city recorded an 8 fold increase in the daily death rate. So how do we learn from this and provide a better outcome for the future? The bottom line is COVID needs a global response. Governments need a united approach, with adequate resources, infrastructure, and medical expertise. In times of uncertainty and tragedy, we need to remember our humility. For more head to: codachange.org/podcasts