Highland health consultant back from Antarctic expedition with warning about the future of our world
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A top NHS Highland medic has returned from Antarctica where she was part of an exclusive global leadership programme for women working on environmental issues.
In November Sharon Pfleger, a consultant in pharmaceutical public health, embarked on the Island Sky ship from Argentina and sailed towards the South Pole as part of the culmination of the leadership programme for women in STEMM. (Science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine)
It was the largest ever all-female expedition to Antarctica with 188 women scientists travelling on her ship and the Ushuaia - a big step considering that at one time female scientists were banned from visiting Antarctica.
Sharon was the first ever NHS member of staff to be selected for the programme from more than 400 applicants across the world and was chosen because of her potential to lead the NHS to a more sustainable model of delivery, particularly around the use of medicines, to mitigate the climate and nature crises.
Sharon co-founded the One Health Breakthrough Partnership and works with Scottish Water, SEPA, CREW and UHI to reduce the impact of the medicines used in the NHS on the environment.
She has just completed a Medical Research Council project testing the feasibility of developing a framework to aid decision making around medicine choices, combining for the first time, environmental information alongside clinical and cost effectiveness data.
On her return Sharon said: "Antarctica was many things: wild, windy, colourful, serene, majestic.
"Sailing from the Falkland Islands towards Antarctica we entered the biggest, wildest storm the ship's captain had ever seen in the Weddell Sea with waves of 8m. Needless to say the sea sickness tablets didn't work at this point!
"Our expedition leader gave us a quiz to guess what time we would spot the first iceberg. The result surprised everyone. It was the furthest distance from Antarctica that the expedition team had ever seen an iceberg travel, evidence that glaciers are calving more and that rougher seas are propelling the icebergs further north.
"The lack of sea ice, the larger than usual amount of broken ice to navigate through and endless storm force winds and waves were further proof that climate change is having an impact in Antarctica and the weather in Antarctica controls the rest of the world's weather patterns.
"There was also proof in some of the wildlife with Adelie penguins declining due to the reduction in sea ice."
Regarding the medicines we consume getting in to the global environment, Sharon said: "A recent study also found evidence of pharmaceuticals in Antarctica. Witnessing this up close has reinforced the need for me - for all of us - to work to prevent any further climate change in the world.
"We all need to consider how we can make our services more sustainable, less polluting and with lower carbon emissions.
"I couldn't have done this without the support and good luck wishes from so many people so I'd like to thank each and every one of them for believing in me and helping me finally reach Antarctica after a two year delay due to the pandemic."
