Climate change is increasingly recognised as a major public health issue. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and environmental disruption affect health outcomes, service delivery, and the wellbeing of communities. Health and social care organisations therefore play an important role in reducing carbon emissions and building resilient services.
This free carbon literacy online course introduces carbon literacy in the context of health and social care. It explains the links between climate change, health, and service sustainability, and provides practical guidance on how workers and organisations can reduce environmental impact while maintaining safe, high-quality care.
Why Take This eLearning Course?
Health and social care services use energy, transport, equipment, and resources every day. These activities create carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. Understanding where emissions arise allows professionals to make informed decisions that support both environmental sustainability and quality care.
This free course will help you to:
- Understand climate change and sustainability in relation to health and social care.
- Recognise sources of carbon emissions within care services, including buildings, travel, procurement, and waste.
- Understand how climate change affects health, including physical and mental health risks.
- Identify vulnerable groups who may be most affected by climate-related impacts.
- Understand UK and NHS commitments to reduce carbon emissions and reach net zero.
- Apply practical actions that reduce energy use, waste, and environmental impact.
- Balance sustainability with safety, including infection prevention and service standards.
- Support behaviour change within teams and organisations.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define climate change, sustainability, carbon footprint, and carbon literacy.
- Explain the main causes of climate change and the role of greenhouse gases.
- Describe how climate change affects health and health inequalities.
- Identify common sources of carbon emissions in health and social care settings.
- Explain the concept of sustainable health and social care.
- Understand UK and NHS commitments to reducing emissions.
- Identify practical steps individuals and teams can take to reduce environmental impact.
- Explain how sustainability actions can align with infection prevention and safe practice.
- Recognise the role of behaviour change in reducing carbon emissions.
- Reflect on personal and organisational actions that support sustainability.
Carbon Literacy in Health and Social Care Course Outline
Module 1: Understanding Climate Change and Carbon Literacy
Learners will explore the basic concepts of climate change, carbon footprints, sustainability, and carbon literacy. This module explains the main human causes of climate change and introduces key UK terms such as net zero, mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and decarbonisation. Learners will understand why carbon literacy is important for health and social care workers and how shared terminology supports consistent decision-making.
Module 2: Climate Change and Health Impacts
This module explains how climate change affects both physical and mental health. Learners will examine health risks such as heat-related illness, air pollution, infectious disease patterns, and mental health pressures linked to environmental change. The module also explores health inequalities and identifies vulnerable groups who may be more affected by climate impacts, as well as how climate change increases pressure on health and social care services.
Module 3: Sources of Carbon Emissions in Health and Social Care
Learners will identify the main sources of emissions across care settings, including energy use in buildings, transport, procurement, waste management, and water use. The module introduces the concept of sustainable health and social care and explains how prevention, efficient resource use, and coordinated services can reduce emissions while maintaining high standards of care.
Module 4: UK and NHS Climate Commitments
This module outlines the UK’s legal responsibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explains the NHS commitment to achieving net zero. Learners will explore the role of organisations, integrated care systems, and individual workers in reducing emissions through governance, reporting, pathway design, estates management, procurement, and everyday workplace practice.
Module 5: Practical Sustainability Actions in Care Settings
Learners will explore practical steps that can reduce energy use, water consumption, and waste in health and social care environments. The module provides examples of sustainable travel, digital working, and responsible purchasing. It also explains how sustainability can be balanced with infection prevention and safety requirements to ensure that environmental improvements never compromise safe care delivery.
Module 6: Behaviour Change and Sustainable Practice
This module focuses on how behaviour change can reduce carbon emissions in everyday work. Learners will examine how habits, team culture, and organisational systems support sustainable choices. The module also highlights personal and workplace actions that promote sustainability and explains how carbon literacy supports quality improvement, service resilience, and better health outcomes for the communities served.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- Health and social care workers.
- Support workers and care assistants.
- Nurses, allied health professionals, and clinical staff.
- Managers and team leaders.
- Staff working in community, residential, and hospital settings.
- Anyone interested in sustainability within care services.
No previous knowledge of environmental sustainability is required.
FAQ
Is this course relevant to UK health and social care?
Yes. The course reflects UK policy direction, including NHS and public sector sustainability commitments.
Does the course focus on practical actions?
Yes. The course includes examples of everyday actions that staff can take to reduce environmental impact while maintaining safe care.
How long does the course take?
The course is self-paced and typically takes 1 hour to complete.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is provided on successful completion.
Is this course CPD accredited?
Courses are not currently CPD accredited, but accreditation is planned.
Understanding carbon literacy helps health and social care workers protect both public health and the environment. By completing this course, you will gain the knowledge and confidence to support sustainable practice and contribute to more resilient care services.
Enrol now to build your understanding of carbon literacy in health and social care.
Course Content
Carbon Literacy in Health and Social Care Training Course CPD Accredited and Government Funding
We’re working on getting this Carbon Literacy in Health and Social Care Training Course CPD accredited, and any course that’s approved will be clearly labelled as CPD accredited on the site. Not every health and social care course has to be accredited to help you meet CQC expectations – what matters is that staff are competent, confident and properly trained for their roles under Regulation 18. Our courses are built to support those requirements, and because they’re not government funded there are no eligibility checks or ID needed – you can enrol and start learning straight away.
