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Dept of Health

Answer

Mrs. Calton: :To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on his Department's Sustainable Development Strategy. [165441] Miss Melanie Johnson: :The Department of Health's strategy on sustainable development and the environment is in line with the Government's overall sustainable development strategy, in which health ("expected healthy years of life") is one of the 15 key headline indicators. The Department is currently implementing a change programme which will result in shifting responsibility to the front line and focusing on providing strategic leadership to the National Health Service and social care. A review of the sustainable development strategy is currently under way as part of this process. The Department's strategy should be viewed in the context of overall health strategies. On-going actions to raise awareness, integrate sustainable development into policy making and to enhance operational activities for both the central Department and through advice to the NHS ensures that the Department continues to contribute to the Government's overall strategy on sustainable development. Progress is reported on the Department's website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/About Us/AimsAndObjectives/SustainableDevelopment/fs/en The NHS Estates Agency (NHSE) and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA)--both Executive Agencies of the Department--have their own sustainable development/environmental strategies in place. The NHSE has issued a New Environmental Strategy for the NHS and Sustainable Development in the NHS as guidance for the NHS. NHS PASA has a sustainable development policy which it published in February 2003. This policy describes the framework within which NHS PASA will conduct its activities in order to contribute towards global pursuits of sustainable development. There are links to these Agencies' websites at the above address.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

165441; 420 c417W;420 c417-8W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Government departments Sustainable development Department of Health

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk