Is enough attention given to climate change in health service planning? An Australian perspective

Figures & data

Table 1 Participants’ perceptions about whether climate change impacts need to incorporated into their health service plans

Comment (themed, not transcribed)	Number of participants
Mental health
Climate change will increase the numbers and complexity of mental health client within the community and will require a planned response from health services.	12
Climate change may impact upon the mental health of the community but will not require a planned response from health services.	4
Heat stress
Australia is likely to experience more hot days and extended heat waves. This experience will require a specific planned response from health services.	11
Australia has always had hot days and heat waves and health services do not require a specific planned response to deal with the potential for additional heat waves.	4
Additional stress seen in health services is due to bed block and reduced summer services rather than heat stress. Climate change is not likely to affect that.	1
Severe weather events
Climate change will lead to an increase in the number, frequency and severity of severe weather events. Health services will need to specifically plan for these and the resultant increase in health service demand.	11
Past severe weather events have not required a change to health planning and future events are therefore not likely to require this.	3
Health service demand
As a result of climate change there will be an increase in health service demand that will require a planned response.	9
Climate change will lead to a shift from health care provided primarily as primary and community based care towards tertiary (hospital) level care, thus increasing both the cost of health care and the need to plan for and provide additional or modified services.	1
Health service demand will continue to increase but climate change will not be a key factor or driver in that change. Other factors including the ageing population will be principal in driving change.	2
Vector-borne disease and zoonoses
Climate change will see an increase in the number and range of potential vectors and a commensurate increase in vector-borne disease and zoonoses as a result. This will therefore require a planned response from health services.	8
Vector-borne disease and zoonoses is a small problem that can be treated on a case-by-case basis. Even if climate change were to increase the numbers of vectors and their range it would not require a planned response.	6
Aged care
Australia's ageing population will be significantly impacted by climate change therefore health services will need to plan specifically for the health impacts of climate change for this age group.	7
Aged care and the ageing population have nothing to do with climate change.	4
Food-borne illness
Climate change is likely to see an increase in food-borne illness and health services will need to plan for this.	6
Climate change is likely to see an increase in food-borne illness and the health department will need to respond to this but the planning of these services is outside of the scope of current practice.	2
There is no need to plan health services for any potential increase in food-borne illnesses.	4
Water-borne disease
Climate change is likely to see an increase in water-borne illness and health services will need to plan for this.	6
Climate change is likely to see an increase in water-borne illness and the health department will need to respond to this but the planning of these services is outside of the scope of current practice.	2
There is no need to plan health services for any potential increase in water-borne disease.	4
Air pollution and aeroallergens
Presentations to health services as a result of an increase in air pollution and aeroallergens will require a planned response from health services.	6
Air pollution and aeroallergens exist now and it is unlikely that, as a result of climate change health services will need specific planning.	5
Food availability
Food availability will be impacted upon by climate change and this will ultimately have a flow on effect to the health system. This impact will need to be planned for.	5
Food availability has little to do with the health system and therefore will not require any specific planning.	5
Other issues
Health services will need to plan for an increase rate of skin cancer as a result of climate change.	1
An increase in the numbers of climate refugees to Australia, with this vulnerable population being particularly susceptible to infectious disease and mental health disorders as a result of their displacement.	1
Climate change is outside of the scope of service planning.	1*

*Not recorded as a participant as they chose not to participate as an interviewee for this project.