#2328_WSLHD_CPH_YIR 2023_4A_WEB

Health protection (neighbourhoods & communities)

HEALTH PROMOTION

HEALTH PROTECTION

Climate risk and health – protecting health and maintaining services in a changing climate Climate risk is a threat to health and wellbeing that all organisations, services and communities are starting to evaluate and plan for. In western Sydney, heat is a significant public health risk with the number of days exceeding 35°C increasing at twice the rate of Sydney CBD. Members of the CPH team have undertaken the Climate Risk Ready course by Western Sydney University for NSW Government and are working with the Climate Risk Officer in NSW Health to support the whole-of-health Climate Risk and Opportunity Assessment. We are also working with Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils to support the community to prepare for an manage heat waves through Turn Down the Heat. This involves participation in the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce which includes a range of targeted workshops and working groups to better prepare for extreme heat in our metropolitan area. In 2023 CPH conducted Business Continuity planning exercises to plan for how heat waves will affect our operations and to build heat risk into our planning.

HEALTH PROMOTION

HEALTH PROTECTION

Preparing for extreme heat and heatwaves Our collaboration on the Western Sydney Turn Down the Heat Strategy with Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) and local councils continued this year. 2023 outcomes: • Representation on the Heat Risk Methodology and Heatwave Management Guide Working Groups. • 7 Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce Heat Smart City Plan Workshops and related meetings attended. • For summer 2022-23: 11 extreme heat promotions to the community and 8 to clinicians. • For summer 2023-24: 9 extreme heat promotions to the community and 3 to WSLHD staff. More are planned for the coming summer.

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WSLHD Centre for Population Health Year in Review 2023