Ross: Climate Change and Health

Climate Change and PhysioTherapy Declares

During my time in the military, I was part of the Ministry Of Defence’s Net Zero and Climate Change and Sustainability strategy campaigns. We looked at how the UK can adapt, foster resilience and sustainability, reach net zero, and become a global leader.

After completing Carbon Literacy Training, I worked on multiple Climate Change risk assessments and adaptation strategies across various other government departments including DEFRA and the Home Office.

I found this work rewarding and enlightening as I am an active member of Physiotherapy Declares which works on climate change related healthcare issues, along with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and multiple universities across the UK.

Physiotherapy Declares work to populate and promote education resources for patients, professionals and students. For more information about climate change and its impact on health please go here

I am also a member of the Environmental Physiotherapy Association and have been fortunate enough to engage with this organisation on various projects related to international physiotherapy students and therapist education.

My care for the health of people and the planet has led to me learning with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine for the last 5 years. I am still currently learning about how lifestyle affects our health - this is a growing area of research and more information about the impact of our environment, food choices and other behaviours examining the ways the negative consequences of our lifestyle choices is being published all of the time!.

My area of interest is related to how our health is affected by the physical environment and social interactions. How pollutants, chemicals, drugs and diet; along with sleep/rest affect us. I have taken all my experience and passion in these areas into the clinic. We utilise sustainable and locally produced products as much as possible, as well as working to reduce our businesses carbon footprint as much as we can.

Carbon monitoring will be an ongoing project for the Turra Physio Therapy team and we will be working with local climate action and resilience projects, community health and well-being projects as well as promoting sustainable healthcare practices to patients.

I believe that when treating a person who presents with pain, you can’t just focus on the area of pain to make it feel better. You need to look beyond the injury to see what else needs attention …as often or not, this could be making the injury worse.

I have a willingness and desire to look up from the individual beneath my hands, and try to help the wider society and our ecology. I believe that this will improve everyone’s health in the long run.

The more positive social change we can make, the healthier we will all become.

As healthcare professionals, we have a responsibility to do that as part of our daily practice and lifestyle.

When you come and see us please do feel free to ask me about my work on climate and ecological action - we will make another blog about it soon!

Ross Conniffe-Jones

Chartered Physiotherapist

Military Aviation Medical Examiner