Climate change and social care
- Written by: Karen Hedge — Scottish Care — National Director
- Published: 26th March 2021
Karen Hedge, National Director at Scottish Care, shares her reflections on social care and climate change.
For too long social care has been missing from the climate change debate. Currently, there is no disaggregation of health and care data on CO2 emissions which means that we can neither identify nor benchmark the extent to which there is impact. However, given the essential role that social care plays in infection prevention control, it can be assumed that there is a resulting and significant contribution in the form of single-use plastics, PPE and chemical use. In addition, a key purpose of social care is in supporting people to have choice and control in their lives. This requires a sector who is skilled to provide support to individuals who choose to prioritise a sustainable lifestyle.
Fundamentally, we must also address issues of social justice; many of those who access care and support, as well as those who work in social care, experience poverty. This raises questions such as ‘if you are reliant on a food bank to feed your family, how can you have choice over what you eat’? Living moment to moment does not create the safe conditions that people need to be able to take action which has a view to longer-term impact.
In Scotland, social care is mostly funded by the public purse and whilst the Scottish Government has set key objectives for netzero, there has not yet been any recognition of the additional resource required for the sector to address climate change head on. Many of these interventions, such as those in reducing energy waste, benefit from an ‘invest to save’ model such as the £25 million fund for innovative work in sustainable social care as outlined in the provocation paper by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE). Scottish Care welcomes the recommendations made in this paper as a key step in outlining the need to incorporate the sector in wider discussion, strategy and investment.
To find out more on how social care can impact climate change, here is a link to my blog on the subject, including a call to those who have made changes or would like to make changes, so that we can collate examples of good practice for sharing and implementation – https://scottishcare.org/climate-change-blog-from-our-national-director/ (this link will take you away from out website).
End of page.
You may also like:
Cornell explores how we can build an environmental human rights-based culture
Continue readingLouise Coupland, Digital Health and Social Care Programme Manager shares her opinions on the national roll out of MyCare.scot.
Continue readingChris Mackie, Director of Digital, looks back at how ALISS has developed, grown, and innovated over time.
Continue readingCrohn’s and Colitis care in Scotland is at a pivotal moment. Urgent action is needed to tackle delays and poor access to vital services
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Lewis Shaw reflects on the importance of rehabilitation support.
Continue readingIsabella Goldie of Deafblind Scotland reflects on the value of partnership work.
Continue readingFind out more about the inaugural Power of Attorney Day taking place on 22 April 2026.
Continue readingDr Hannah Tweed reflects on 20 years of the Scottish Sensory Hub, the important work they do and why it matters.
Continue readingAs part of our 20 year anniversary, Kerry shares her reflections on how far the ALLIANCE has come, our achievements, and our impact.
Continue readingIn her latest TFN column, our Chief Officer Sara Redmond reflects on 20 years since Scotland moved to put children at the centre of policy.
Continue readingCancer care in Scotland is at a critical moment. Macmillan is calling for urgent action ahead of the parliamentary elections in May
Continue readingMhairi Campbell reflects on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) not being recognised as having a severe impact on life.
Continue readingLucy Mulvagh shares how she used the Centre for Public Policy Practice Fellowship to examine prevention and its barriers to implementation
Continue readingLaura from Perth and Kinross HSCP shares how we can celebrate World Social Work Day through the lens of 'What Matters To You?'.
Continue readingReflections on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education) Bill
Continue readingLouise Hall from Pain Association Scotland reflects on the event she delivered as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingAct Now for Autistic Rights calls for a transformative Bill for autistic and neurodiverse communities
Continue readingIn the next decade, the role of digital in health and social care must embed our digital human rights principles to reduce inequalities.
Continue readingRead some reflections from ALLIANCE colleagues, who had the opportunity to sponsor and attend Scotland's Annual Human Rights Conference.
Continue reading“Our Collective Voice” is a hopeful vision for the next five years, and I encourage ALLIANCE members to bring it into their own campaigns.
Continue readingBy standing together, we can help ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to the compassionate, high quality palliative care.
Continue readingALLIANCE Scottish Sensory Hub Manager Dr Hannah Tweed reflects on the launch of the BSL network for public bodies.
Continue readingSimone Janse van Rensburg reflects on the impact of their Women Living Well event which featured as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingWellbeing Scotland’s Chief Clinical Officer Ashleigh Ronald highlights why we must shift stigmatising narratives around child abuse.
Continue reading