23 July 2026

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's Emergency Department has been awarded Silver Accreditation through the Royal College of Emergency Medicine's (RCEM) GreenED programme, recognising its commitment to reducing environmental impact while maintaining excellent patient care.

GreenED is a national RCEM initiative that supports Emergency Departments across the UK to measure, improve and reduce their environmental footprint. Departments work through a series of evidence-based actions across Bronze, Silver and Gold levels, helping to drive sustainable healthcare practices, contribute towards NHS net zero ambitions and identify financial efficiencies.

The Silver accreditation highlights the considerable progress made by Chesterfield Royal Hospital's Emergency Department in embedding sustainability into everyday practice, thanks to the dedication of colleagues across multiple teams and departments.

The initiative has been led by Emergency Medicine Consultant, Dr Roshanne Seth and Senior Clinical Fellow in ED, Dr Eleanor Jones, who have worked alongside a wide range of Trust and DSFS colleagues to implement meaningful environmental improvements.

Dr Roshanne Seth, Emergency Medicine Consultant, said: "I am incredibly proud of our Emergency Department for achieving Silver Accreditation in the RCEM GreenED programme – a year ahead of the Trust's own target.

"This has been a genuine team effort, and it wouldn't have been possible without the fantastic support of Infection Prevention and Control and the Royal Academy of Improvement, DSFS, alongside pharmacy, estates, procurement and domestic services.

"This achievement belongs not just to the ED, but to all these teams working together. Everyone has played a part, whether through everyday changes like using a reusable cup, or through bigger quality improvement projects that have delivered real, measurable savings.

"I'm genuinely excited about what we've built here, and even more excited about continuing to embed sustainability into the everyday culture of our department."

Hospital colleagues were supported throughout the accreditation process by a number of DSFS teams, including Senior Health, Safety & Environmental Advisor Sally Ludditt, whose expertise helped the department identify and deliver several sustainability initiatives.

The accreditation recognises a range of successful projects that have already delivered measurable environmental and financial benefits.

Over the last 12 months, the Emergency Department has achieved significant sustainability improvements, including:

  • Saving 174,955 sheets of paper by moving to digital patient records, preventing approximately 3,055kg of CO₂e emissions
  • Increasing recycling rates, generating an estimated annual saving of 620kg CO₂e
  • Switching to a lower-carbon asthma inhaler option, reducing emissions associated with that treatment by around 75%
  • Reducing unnecessary glove use by 26% during a three-month pilot
  • Introducing a lower-carbon pain relief option which reduces the climate impact of treatment by more than 99% per use

The department has also identified a number of initiatives expected to deliver further substantial savings, including:

  • Approximately £70,000 per year and 49 tonnes of CO₂e through the removal of pre-packaged cannulation packs
  • Around £15,400 annually through reducing unnecessary cannulation and venepuncture procedures
  • Approximately £11,000 a year and 9.8 tonnes of CO₂e through a redesigned mobility aids reuse scheme
  • Further carbon reductions through reusable sharps disposal systems, energy-saving behaviours and smarter ways of working

Congratulating the team on their achievement, Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "I would like to congratulate the team at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust who have been awarded a Silver accreditation through RCEM's GreenED programme.

"Climate change is, of course, an existential threat to us all in the future. But in Emergency Medicine, we already see the impacts of pollution, extreme temperature and the state of the environment.

"We have a duty to ensure our Emergency Departments are doing their part in tackling the climate crisis, and as a College we are proud to support clinicians to do just that.

"This reward reflects the hard work and innovation of the team at Chesterfield who have worked to reduce emissions, waste and, ultimately, costs for the department."

For more information about the GreenED programme, visit: https://greened.rcem.ac.uk

 PHOTO ED.PNG

Back to News