PSA to drive environmental sustainability through appointment of CEO to new climate and health advisory group
8 August 2024
The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomes the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer Adjunct Associate Professor Steve Morris to the to the Government’s Climate & Health Expert Advisory Group (CHEAG) by the Hon. Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.
The appointment was announced just days after PSA launched Pharmacists in 2030, which outlined the need for pharmacists to be supported to incorporate environmental sustainability improvements in their workplaces, including energy efficiency, waste reduction and deprescribing.
Adj A/Prof Steve Morris said that the establishment of the advisory group was an opportunity for the entire health sector to come together to limit the negative impacts of climate change on health and wellbeing of Australians.
“Sustainability is important for overall wellbeing of individuals, the community and the world in which we live,’ he said.
“The provision of healthcare makes a bigger impact on the climate than many of us realise. For example, healthcare contributes 7 per cent of Australia’s total carbon emissions. This is greater than the total carbon emissions from my home state of South Australia.”
“With health and wellbeing of patients being primary concerns of pharmacists, we all have a professional obligation to limit the negative health impacts caused by climate change through direct action, leadership and patient support.”
Adj A/Prof Morris thanked the Assistant Minister for her leadership on this issue.
“I am delighted to be able to contribute to this important advisory group,” Adj A/Prof Morris said.
“I look forward to working with Assistant Minister Kearney, Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly, other health sector leaders and consumers to reduce the environmental impacts of healthcare and, by doing so, improve the health and wellbeing of all Australians.”
PSA’s recently launched Pharmacists in 2030 vision can be found here: https://www.psa.org.au/advocacy/working-for-our-profession/pharmacists_in_2030/
