Sheri Scott looks at the growing need for sustainability education for laboratory professionals pre- and postregistration to help the biomedical science profession be greener, and how sustainability can be incorporated into Quality Improvement processes in the laboratory.
In September 2023, the HCPC published new standards of proficiency for Biomedical Scientists. As part of the changes, we saw the inclusion of a greater emphasis on ill-health prevention and promotion of wellbeing. These new standards include:
Standards of Proficiency 15.1 and 15.2 can be aligned to the current and growing concerns of the climate health emergency. The health impacts resulting from climate change are now widely accepted. In the last 10 years, we have seen nine of the hottest years on record. The rising global temperatures are mediating the rise of vector-mediated infectious disease; extreme weather events are impacting food and water supplies; air pollution from wildfires is increasing the frequency and intensity of lung problems. All these threats on health are putting increasing strain on our already stretched healthcare services. Furthermore, we have a responsibility to recognise that natural resources are not infinite, and that laboratories are resource-intensive spaces. Healthcare is responsible for considerable use – and subsequent disposal – of single-use plastics, which negatively impact the environment.
In consequence, to prevent ill health, we have a responsibility to consider environmentally sustainable practices.
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