Towards environmentally sustainable healthcare: using quality improvement to deliver a net zero NHS

The healthcare industry is a major contributor to climate change globally. There is growing interest in using quality improvement methods to improve the sustainability of healthcare. This article uses a case study methodology to describe how the trust’s programme of sustainability used quality improvement at both systemic and local levels to support the organisation to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 40% by 2036.

This led to an organisational reduction in gas emissions of 37% and CO₂ emissions by 14% in winter months. At a local level, three case studies showcase the accomplishments of teams who successfully reduced medication waste by 66.2 kg CO₂e per year, reduced spending on single-use plastics by 54% and lowered CO₂ emissions by 10,798 kg per year through the return of walking aids.