Sustainable mental health

Course outline 

Developed in collaboration with the Royal College of Psychiatry, and designed for staff at any level across mental health and social care this 3-part course will help you to understand why sustainability matters; how mental health and the environment are inextricably linked and how health services both contribute to and are vulnerable to climate change and the loss of nature. The interconnected processes of climate change and biodiversity collapse undermine mental health in a variety of ways, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups and widening health inequalities. Awareness of the scale of the problem often evokes powerful feelings and thoughts, especially for children and young people.

Using real world case examples the course outlines what a sustainable approach to mental healthcare could look like; delivering high quality, affordable care and positive social impact without damaging the environment.

The course provides you with the basic tools to implement sustainability projects in your area. We also consider the leadership role healthcare staff (at any level) can play in providing healthcare for all within planetary boundaries. As healthcare professionals we cannot stand on the sidelines; we have a duty of care to our patients, communities, and the natural world which is our life support system. There are many important ways to make a difference and this course is a starting point.   

How will this help my organisation?

CSH courses are not just about increasing knowledge and skills in sustainable healthcare. They are unique in supporting participants to plan and implement a real-world sustainability project in their workplace, with ongoing mentoring provided through our sustainable healthcare Cafes.  Training a group of key staff maximises the outcomes and impact from your investment, by creating a cohort of empowered individuals who can support each other to be catalysts for change across your organisation. Staff trained through CSH will make a  practical and direct contribution to delivery of your sustainability, green or decarbonisation plan.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Describe the risks the global environmental crisis presents to mental health and mental healthcare systems.
• Describe the contribution of the health sector to the global environmental crisis. 
• Identify carbon hotspots and understand the basic principles of carbon footprinting and sustainability in quality improvement.
• Explain how to deliver mental healthcare sustainably and how this could help to address existing challenges in the healthcare system.
• Apply the principles of sustainability to planning a sustainability project in your workplace.  

Course structure 

This course is delivered in three parts:

Part I. Self-study online 

Interactive online materials covering all course content, illustrated with case studies, presented in bite-sized modules. The course is flexible to your interests and available time; a condensed version can be completed in under 2 hours using the module summary pages; the full course contains around 8 hours of more in depth study. A discussion forum allows you to reflect on your learning and share thoughts and ideas with fellow learners. A short video on the home page outlines how to navigate the learning platform and obtain your certificate of completion. The learning materials are available to you from the point of booking and for 6 months after your workshop date. You can see a table of contents for the self study materials here. 

Part 2. Live workshop online 

The 4 hour virtual workshop consolidates your understanding of the course materials and then focuses on helping you develop ideas for a sustainability project in your setting; translating your learning into action through small group discussions with CSH experts and colleagues from around the world using the range of resources and tools. A separate certificate of completion is provided for the workshop.

Part 3. Mentoring 

After completing the workshop you are invited to attend our online Sustainable Healthcare Cafés, a friendly, informal setting in which to:

• Reconnect with peers passionate about sustainability
• Get ongoing support for sustainability projects from peers and CSH staff.

The 1 hour cafes occur regularly throughout the year. You are welcome to attend the cafes as many times as you wish. Upcoming dates will be emailed to you after the workshop. You can also receive ongoing peer support by joining one of our Networks.

How much does block booking this course cost?

Sustainable Healthcare courses including SusQI block booking prices

Technical courses block booking prices 

Commissioned courses and closed workshops 

We can provide an exclusive course for your organisation with a closed workshop to train your staff together, facilitating network building across your organisation. These courses can be tailored to address your specific learning requirements and local issues.