Acronyms and glossary

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1. Acronyms
2. Glossary

Acronyms

• AMS: Antimicrobial Stewardship
• CHEF: Co-Designing Healthy and Enjoyable Food
• CT: Computed tomography
• CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure
• DCCEEW: Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
• EV: Electric vehicle
• EPA: Environment Protection Authority
• ESD: Environmentally Sustainable Development
• FOGO: Food Organics and Garden Organics
• GHG: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
• GWP: Global Warming Potential
• HACCP: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
• HFCs: Hydrofluorocarbons
• HI: Health Infrastructure
• HSNSW: HealthShare NSW
• ICT: Information and Communications Technology
• IV: Intravenous
• LED: Light Emitting Diode
• LHD: Local Health District
• MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging
• NABERS: National Australian Built Environment Rating System
• NSW: New South Wales
• NIV: Non-invasive ventilation
• PO: Oral
• PMES: People Matter Employee Survey
• PPE: Personal protective equipment
• PV: Photovoltaic
• PAP: Positive airway pressure
• PHN: Primary Health Network
• RAW: Rescued and Wasted
• SME: Small and Medium Enterprise
• SCHN: Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network
• TGA: Therapeutic Goods Administration
• WaSM: Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy

Glossary

Adaptation

Actions undertaken to manage or reduce the adverse consequences of climate change, as well as to harness any benefits or opportunities.

Active travel/ modes of transport

Modes of transportation that support incidental physical activity and have low environmental impact, including walking, cycling, and using public transport.

Baseline carbon footprint

The total sum of an organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions, measured to provide a starting point against which future emissions performance will be measured.

Carbon

Refers to carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change.

Circular economy

An economic model focused on minimising waste and keeping resources in use for as long as possible by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products. In the healthcare sector, this can involve sustainable procurement practices, waste management strategies, and initiatives to extend the lifecycle of medical equipment and supplies.

Climate change and health

The health of our planet is closely linked to our own health and wellbeing. Since health and wellbeing are closely linked to the health of our environment, changes as a result of climate change can affect our health and wellbeing. Vulnerable groups across our community are particularly at risk including people who are socio-economically disadvantaged; rural and geographically isolated communities; people with disabilities; children and older people; pregnant women and unborn children; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

More information: Climate change and health - Climate (nsw.gov.au) and Climate impacts on our health and wellbeing | AdaptNSW

Carbon/emissions hotspots

Processes or activities within an organisation that are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

CO2 equivalent

The universal unit of measurement to indicate the global warming potential of each greenhouse gas, expressed in terms of the global warming potential of one unit of carbon dioxide. This unit is used to evaluate releasing (or avoiding releasing) different greenhouse gases against a common basis.

Green power

Electricity generated from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and hydro, that have a lower environmental impact compared to fossil fuels.

Global warming potential

A factor describing the radiative forcing impact (degree of harm to the atmosphere) of one unit of a given greenhouse gas relative to one unit of CO2.

Greenhouse gases (GHG)

The seven greenhouse gases listed in the Kyoto Protocol—carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4); nitrous oxide (N2O); hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs); nitrogen trifluoride (NF3); perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Health promotion

Activities aimed at improving health and wellbeing by enabling individuals and communities to increase control over, and to improve, their health.

More information: Health Protection NSW - Ministry of Health and Centre for Population Health - Ministry of Health (nsw.gov.au)

High-value care

Healthcare services that provide significant benefits to patients, focusing on interventions that are evidence-based and necessary, with good resource utilisation.

More information: High value health care is low carbon health care - Barratt - 2022 Medical Journal of Australia - Wiley Online Library

Low-value care

Healthcare services that provide little or no benefit, or even cause harm to patients.

Mitigation

Climate change mitigation includes actions we take globally, nationally and individually to limit changes caused in the global climate by human activities. Mitigation activities are designed to reduce greenhouse emissions and/or increase the amounts of greenhouse gases removed from the atmosphere by greenhouse sinks.

Net zero / carbon neutral

Balancing a measured amount of carbon released into the atmosphere with an equivalent amount sequestered, avoided or offset.

Net zero target

A defined goal set by an organisation to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by a specific date, as part of its commitment to combat climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

The Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 legislates the NSW Government net zero targets.

More information: The Climate Change (Net Zero Future) Act 2023 | NSW Climate and Energy Action

Primary prevention

Actions taken to prevent diseases or injuries before they occur, through measures such as healthy lifestyle promotion and vaccination.

Scope 1 emissions

Direct greenhouse gas emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by an entity.

For example, fuel burned on-site, fugitive emissions from refrigerants and medical gases.

Scope 2 emissions

Indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heating or cooling consumed by an entity. Purchased and acquired electricity is electricity that is purchased or otherwise brought into an entity’s boundary. Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions physically occur at the facility where electricity is generated.

Scope 3 emissions

Indirect greenhouse gas emissions (not included in Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions) that occur in the value chain of an entity, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems

Technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity using panels made of semiconductor cells.

Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund

The Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund is a Secretary-led initiative providing up to $25,000 to support staff-led innovation projects that improve patient care and reduce our environmental footprint.

More information: Sustainable Futures Innovation Fund - Climate risk and net zero (nsw.gov.au)

Virtual care

Any interaction between a patient and clinician, or between clinicians, occurring remotely with the use of information technologies.