Dr Susan Jain1
1Clinical Excellence Commission, 1 Reserve Road St Leonards NSW 2065.
Climate change is one of the biggest threats to modern society and health plays a major role in both contribution and prevention. It is estimated Australia’s health system contributes 7% of Australia’s total carbon footprint1
New South Wales (NSW) Health has committed to an environmentally sustainable footprint and the Future Health: Guiding the next decade of health care in NSW 2022-2032 gives the direction and roadmap on how to deliver the services over the coming decade2. Sustainability is one of six strategic outcomes in this plan and as part of this initiative NSW health established a Climate Risks and Net Zero Unit to coordinate environmental sustainability action across the public health system. The establishment of a peak body, comprising a range of leaders to work together towards a high quality, low carbon, and climate resilient health system.
A “perfect storm” created by the recent pandemic, highlighted the inadequacies in current healthcare infrastructure and is now on NSW health horizon. Our success depends on how adeptly we address and correct obvious flaws in existing healthcare frameworks, and this will have important consequences for the future of human health and well-being. Infection prevention and control (IPAC) community is committed to contributions to a Resilient Healthcare System, and this is evident from the inclusion of environmental sustainability in the newly revised NSW Health IPAC policy directive3. The aim of this approach is to ensure where sustainable options are considered, compliance to IPAC are consistent and does not introduce other unintended risks or consequences.
Biography
Dr Susan Jain is the Principal Advisor, COVID-19 Clinical Response and Research Lead of the Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) program at the Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW. She has a Doctorate in transmission-based precautions and a Master of International Public Health from the University of New South Wales, a Master of Nursing from University of Wollongong, and a range of internationally recognised certifications.
She has over 18 category A* publications and conjoint academic at UNSW and guest lecturer at University of Sydney and University of Technology Sydney. Susan also holds the award of Credentialled Infection Control Professional-Expert, is a member on many state and national IPAC expert advisory committees, editorial board member at the Canadian Infection Prevention and Control Journal, member at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) committee, Antimicrobial Resistance Policy (ASTAG) committee, and 2016 Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) International Ambassador. Susan’s work includes writing policies, guidance, and resources for NSW Health and generating evidence by conducting research in the space of infection prevention and control