The Sheffield Sustainable Healthcare Competition (SSHC) was created by the Biosphere Society to raise awareness of environmental challenges in medicine and enhance student employability through real-world health challenges. The event brought together over 60 bioscience students and 8 professional guests from politics, industry, and academia.
The event began with a panel discussion on the environmental burden of the healthcare system. The Head of Sustainability at Birmingham Hospital noted that the NHS alone contributes to over 5% of UK carbon emissions. Alongside speakers from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare and Greener Practice, the panel highlighted case studies showing how sustainable healthcare practices improve patient outcomes while creating financial savings for the NHS.
The main part of the event was the SSHC prize-giving ceremony, where over £350 was awarded to podium finishers. Submissions included student-led projects in community care homes and green architecture designs for Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.
The winning team, SafePause, developed an app to help patients manage acute kidney injury. Their project has attracted interest from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. This multidisciplinary group of second-year students demonstrated the value of bioscientists in shaping healthcare delivery.
The event concluded with a networking session and a showcase of student submissions.
“The SSHC brought together students from all across the School of Biosciences and beyond and has clearly showcased the effectiveness of interdisciplinary learning. It was a privilege to see so many people engaging to promote sustainable practices in healthcare. I want to especially thank the 15 strong committee at Biosphere and mentionHattie Benson, Ella Leppanen, Samuel Broadway and Eve Spurr" Alexander Tonkin, President of the Biosphere society
The Biosphere Society will run the competition again next year, with plans to include more representatives from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
“I was very pleased to act as a judge in this very exciting event. It was inspiring to see the breadth and depth of innovation in the students' proposals to improve sustainability within healthcare in Sheffield and beyond. The panel discussion was wide-ranging and thought-provoking. It bodes well for the future that our bioscience students are so engaged with key global challenges.” Professor Elizabeth Smythe
To learn more about Biosphere Society contact the team at biosphere@sheffield.ac.uk.
