Catherine Max Consulting was launched when we initiated Sustainable Social Care, an innovative national policy and development programme funded over three years by the Department of Health and Social Care and Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). Catherine raised awareness of sustainable development and built capacity across the sector through research, conferences, practitioner learning events, community engagement and publications.  She also contributed to national policy development and guidance regarding sustainability. This work included a collaboration with Bristol City Council exploring how personalisation could stimulate the market for environmentally sustainable social care and the development of an ethical framework for sustainable health and care.

Ongoing work with health and care services has included the development of the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (now North London NHS Foundation Trust) Green Plan, setting its ambition to be London’s greenest mental health trust. This is ensuring that the transformation of their community services, and their new facilities adjacent to the Whittington Hospital, have positive social, environmental and economic impacts. The Green Plan contributes to the NHS commitment to achieve net carbon zero and the wider Greener NHS programme.

The Trust’s Highgate East and West mental health centres are located adjacent to Waterlow Park with a route through to Highgate Cemetery. We continue to work with Trust colleagues, facilitating relationships and projects supporting recovery and good mental health through activities in these beautiful green spaces.

Read Calm yet curious, thankful yet sad: emotions and health in Highgate Cemetery.