Department of Health

Website of the Department of Health

Please note that this website has a UK government access keys system.

Sustainable development

The Government wants sustainable development to be a core element of all its business. A Cabinet sub-committee of ministers from every Government department has been set up to consider the impact of government policies on sustainable development and to improve the performance of Departments in contributing to sustainable development. This section aims to show what the Department of Health is doing about sustainable development.

Sustainable development action plan 2007/08

This is the DH’s second plan. The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), the UK Government’s independent watchdog body on sustainable development, assesses all departmental SD action plans. This SDAP for 2007-08 explains how DH will make progress on sustainable development in our policies and in the running of our business during 2007-08.  This plan is crafted for internal purposes and for dialogue and engagement with the Sustainable Development Commission

What is sustainable development?

The UK Government has defined sustainable development as "development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

Sustainable development activities

What the Department is doing to promote sustainable development throughout the Department, the NHS and agencies.

The Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate

The Framework provides a structured approach to identifying and reporting the key sustainable development impacts of departments through the management of their estates, employment of staff and external relations with communities in which they operate.

Framework - Overarching commitments

Target A1: Identifying significant impacts

Departments are required to provide a clear description of their estate, staff numbers, buildings and land; to identify their most significant sustainable development impacts; and to justify any exclusions from the commitments in the Framework.

Targets A2-A5: publishing delivery plans, Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and public reporting

Under target A2, departments should make public a strategy showing how they plan to deliver targets. Environmental Management Systems (EMS) have a valuable role to play in supporting delivery of improvements in performance, particularly in key areas such as energy, water and waste. EMS are covered by target A3. Targets A4 and A5 cover public reporting on departments' key sustainable development impacts.

Framework - Other commitments

Specific targets on subjects including travel, water and waste. Planning for these individual areas contributes to the achievement of the overarching commitments.

Contact

Send us your feedback on DH sustainable development.

Access keys