Wednesday 3 December 2024
Following the success of its first GreenED accreditations, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has released details for Emergency Departments (EDs) so they can begin joining its Spring 2025 cohort.
RCEM is expanding GreenED, an environmental sustainability accreditation programme for UK-based Type One EDs, with enhanced support, resources, and improvements to its 2025 framework based on feedback from its first year of participating departments.
Since its inception in September 2023, RCEM’s GreenED accreditation programme has supported 26 UK-based Emergency Departments (EDs) including all EDs in Wales and awarded its first five accreditations in August 2024.
These accredited sites have achieved remarkable results, reducing an average of 16,000 KgCO2e and saving £10,800 in departmental spending.
RCEM’s GreenED initiative developed the first open-source sustainability framework specifically for a secondary care setting and has three levels of Bronze, Silver and Gold. Addressing these actions not only improves the environmental sustainability of an ED but contributes to national net zero targets and creates financial savings for EDs while maintaining or improving patient care.
Building on its success, RCEM is expanding the programme and planning to take on more UK-based departments in 2025. GreenED will be reopening to registrations in Spring 2025 and supporting more EDs to achieve accreditation. The date registrations reopen will be announced on the GreenED website in early 2025.
Gordon Miles, RCEM CEO, commented: “GreenED enhances professional knowledge, improves patient care quality, and contributes to national net zero targets.
“By streamlining processes and reducing wastage, departments not only achieve financial savings but also foster a culture of sustainability and efficiency.
“We are proud to support EDs in their journey towards environmental sustainability and excellence in patient care.”
GreenED was developed by the RCEM’s Quality Cluster and is the first of its kind, offering a structured framework for Emergency Departments to enhance their sustainability while maintaining or improving patient care standards.
Dr Sandy Robertson, Chair of ESIG, said: “It has been brilliant to see GreenED bring passion and commitment to sustainability to Emergency Department teams from hospitals across the UK.
“Our first round of pioneering EDs have trailblazed a path that many other Trusts and healthcare organisations are waiting to follow in 2025. If your department is not registered, then begin that process as soon as possible as places are limited to ensure enough resources are available to support the 2025 cohort.
“GreenED is committed to tackling the climate crisis within Emergency Medicine. We invite all UK-based Type One EDs to join us in this vital initiative to improve environmental sustainability, achieve financial savings, and contribute to national net zero targets.”
For more detailed information, read the GreenED FAQs or contact RCEM’s Quality Team to update contact details or notify of any changes to a Quality Improvement contact for an ED.
