PEACCH [Project to Embed Adaptation to Climate Change in Healthcare] is a collaboration between partners Cambridge's Centre for Sustainable Development, Anglia Ruskin University and NHS practitioners.
Together we want to raise awareness not only of the need to adapt, but also to provide practical steps that healthcare managers and practitioners can take, to adapt their environments and practices to the main physical climate risks facing UK health systems.
Aligned with the recently adopted NHS Climate Adaptation Framework (https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/a-climate-adaptation-framework-for-nhs-organisations-in-england/) and building on research outputs from Life Resystal research project (https://life-resystal.eu/), PEACCH delivered a series of 4 webinars, designed to help healthcare staff take adaptation-positive action, that complements the Net-Zero agenda and addresses the physical challenges of climate change in the UK health sector.
Project Partners
PEACCH is a collaborative interdisciplinary effort, and involves researchers from social sciences and engineering, alongside convenors and NHS practitioners working together to drive forward and enable more climate adaptation within the healthcare sector. Key project partners are:
- Louise Elstow, Research Associate in Infrastructure Climate Adaptation at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Cambridge University.
- Federica Pascale, Associate Professor of Sustainable Built Environment at Anglia Ruskin University.
- Alexis Percival, Environmental and Sustainability Manager, Yorkshire Ambulance Trust
- Jim Cook, Associate Director Emergency Preparedness Resilience & Response (EPRR), Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS)
- Peter Lefort, 'Adaptation' and 'Scope 3' Communities of Practice Convenor, Green Futures Network, Exeter University
Webinar Series
In June 2025 PEACCH hosted a webinar series involving a fantastic range of guest speakers from academia and within NHS organisations who are already on their way to adapting, and who wanted to share their experiences. The online events were free to attend and designed for anyone interested in learning more about climate adaptation within a healthcare setting. Staff with an interest or responsibilities for delivering EPRR, estates and facilities management, procurement, sustainability, public heatlh, and Net-Zero may find the content particularly relevant, but as climate adaptation is going to be important for everyone, the events were open to all to attend.
Links to webinar recordings are available on the right and the programme with speaker bios is available here.
- Webinar 1: Introduction to Climate Adaptation in Healthcare: Introduction to climate adaptation, what this means in the context of UK hospitals and the UK policy landscape. Tuesday 17 June 2025
- Recording: Webinar 1 recording
- Introduction to climate adaptation [Louise Elstow, Cambridge University]:
- A focus on climate adaptation in the health sector [Alexis Percival, Yorkshire Ambulance Service]:
- An overview of healthcare adaptation research [Federica Pascale, Anglia Ruskin University]:
- Webinar 2: A closer look at heat risks in healthcare facilities, with intervention options and a UK case study.
- Recording: Webinar 2 Recording
- Introduction to the session [Louise Elstow, Cambridge]:
- Heat resilience in healthcare systems [Federica Pascale, Anglia Ruskin University]:
- Interventions for heat [Alexis Percival, Yorkshire Ambulance Service]:
- Case Study: Adapting to heat in Sussex Community NHS Trust [Susie Vernon, Care Without Carbon]:
- Webinar 3: A closer look at flooding and drought risk in UK healthcare facilities, with intervention options and a UK case study.
- Recording: Webinar 3 recording
- Introduction to the session [Louise Elstow]:
- What is flooding? Causes and consequences [Stuart McLelland, Hull University]:
- Interventions for flooding and drought [Alexis Percival, Yorkshire Ambulance Service]:
- Case Study: Adapting Flooding Emergency Response in East of England Ambulance Service Trust [Jamie Fountain, EEAST]:
- Webinar 4: Embedding action to adapt to climate change in your organisation - tools to help you take action.
- Recording: Webinar 4 recording
- Introduction to the session [Louise Elstow]:
- Preparing the NHS for Climate Change - Embedding Adaptation into health systems - including an introduction to the new NHS Climate Adaptation Framework and CCRA Toolkit [Morgan Roberts, Sustainability Westmidlands]:
- Circular Economy in Clinical Procurement: A Climate Adaptation Strategy for NHSE Trusts [Petar Tabakov, Brighton and Sussex Medical School]:
- 12 Principles for Adaptation Investment Decision Making [Louise Elstow, Cambridge University]:
- Sustainability Estates Solutions Framework [Karen Amber, NHS Commercial Solutions]:
- Creative funding for adaptation [Alexis Percival, Yorkshire Ambulance Service]:
- Embedding monitoring of implementation for good governance: Case Study of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) at ARU campuses [Maryam Imani, Anglia Ruskin University]:
Adapt! Game - An adaptation workshop toolkit
A key output of the project is the development of a toolkit for NHS practitioners to support their adaptation efforts. This toolkit is being developed alongside project partners at an in person workshop in Essex. It will be shared here when it is available.
