Green Gastroenterology Challenge 2026
The Green Gastroenterology Challenge 2026 is a project led by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare to support gastroenterology professionals to lead sustainable healthcare initiatives and implement improvements to patient care, with additional benefits of reducing costs and carbon emissions.
The Green Gastroenterology Challenge is fully funded by Micro-Tech UK and delivered in partnership with the British Society of Gastroenterology.
Learn more about the Green Gastroentology Challenge 2026 during the launch event. Join us online on Monday 9 February 2026 from 18:00 to 19:00
What is the Green Gastroenterology Challenge?
The NHS has committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2040, extending to suppliers by 2045. Achieving this ambition requires action across all specialties, including gastroenterology.
The Green Gastroenterology Challenge is a national programme designed to promote sustainable practices within gastroenterology in line with NHS Net Zero targets. The project is fully funded by Micro-Tech UK and delivered in partnership with the British Society of Gastroenterology.
The Challenge is a national adaptation of the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare’s Green Specialty Challenge and Green Team Competition – an award-winning, tried and tested leadership and engagement programme designed to transform healthcare by cutting carbon, improving patient care and staff experience, and saving money. It uses CSH’s Sustainable Quality Improvement (SusQI) approach and supports teams to identify sustainability and equity hotspots across gastroenterology pathways.
Environmental, social and economic benefits will be quantified at individual project level and modelled to explore the potential for wider national impact.
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare has been successfully reducing environmental impact and building social value in healthcare through these programme and challenge for over nine years.
Why is the Green Gastroenterology Challenge important?
The NHS is responsible for around 4-5 % of the UK’s total carbon footprint, with healthcare services contributing significantly to national emissions through energy use, supply chains, travel and waste. Healthcare systems globally contribute roughly 4 % of total greenhouse gas emissions, making health services themselves part of the environmental and ecological crisis.
The impacts of climate change disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people in society, exacerbating health inequalities and placing increasing pressure on already stretched health services. Disadvantaged communities are often more exposed to environmental hazards, less able to recover from them, and more likely to face barriers to accessing high-quality healthcare, highlighting the deep links between climate change and health equity.
Within this context, gastroenterology — particularly procedures such as endoscopy that are resource- and waste-intensive — has a crucial role to play in helping the NHS meet its Net Zero by 2040 ambitions.
Studies show routine endoscopy can generate significant emissions and waste, with individual procedures estimated at around 28 kg CO₂e in some settings — travel and equipment contribute substantially. Endoscopy units produce large volumes of plastic waste, and travel (patients/staff) can be a major part of the footprint while single-use duodenoscopes have much higher emissions than reusable alternatives — up to ~20× more. Literature describes making gastroenterology “green” by reducing waste, optimising procedures, and targeting high-impact areas.
By reviewing and improving working practices, reducing waste from consumables and procedures, and embedding sustainable quality improvement across care pathways, gastroenterology professionals can reduce environmental harm while improving patient outcomes and experiences, addressing inequalities and contributing to a more sustainable and equitable healthcare system
How will the Green Gastroenterology Challenge work?
Six multi-professional teams will be selected to take part in the Green Gastroenterology Challenge. Each team will receive mentoring and structured support from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare to develop, run and measure sustainable quality improvement (SusQI) projects.
Where possible, the carbon reduction potential of projects will be estimated using a process-based carbon footprinting method, supplemented by environmentally extended input–output analysis.
Teams will attend regular workshops and receive ongoing support from CSH staff throughout the project phase. Following final submissions, teams will present their work to a judging panel at a national Showcase event. All projects will be shared by CSH and through partner networks.
Timeline & key dates
- Launch and recruitment: 09 February 2026
- Recruitment closes: 20 March 2026
- Workshops: workshops will be running between Monday 27th April to Thursday 30th April and both applicants need to be available to attend the same workshop
- Project phase deadline: August 2026
- Showcase event: Late autumn 2026
- One-year impact review published: September 2027
The launch event
The Green Gastroenterology Challenge launch event will take place online on Monday 9 February 2026 from 18:00 to 19:00.
This free online event is open to all. Whether you are a gastroenterology clinician, nurse, technician, manager, trainee or simply interested in climate action in this field, you are invited to attend. The event will introduce the Challenge, share learning from previous Green Specialty Challenges and outline how teams can apply.
The recruitment phase
The recruitment phase is designed to bring together six multi-professional teams from across the UK. The Challenge is fully funded by Micro-Tech UK and open to healthcare professionals working within gastroenterology services.
How to apply
Applicants are asked to submit a short application outlining their proposed project idea and team composition.
Please read the applicant information pack carefully before completing the application form. You will also need to confirm the following on the form:
Essential:
☐ Details of two lead participants
☐ Line manager/departmental lead consent to apply
☐ Availability for both leads to attend the same 90-minute workshop between 27–30 April
Optional:
☐ A brief outline of a sustainability project proposal, including the problem identified and a potential solution
☐ Line manager/departmental permission to attend a workshop and protected weekly project time (projects can be completed in participants’ own time if needed)
☐ Contact details for your Trust/Health Board sustainability lead and quality improvement lead
The Green Gastroenterology Showcase 2026
The Green Gastroenterology Showcase will be held in late autumn 2026 and will celebrate the work of the six teams selected to take part in the Challenge.
This event will bring together gastroenterology professionals from across the UK who are leading the way in aligning clinical practice with environmental sustainability while improving care, outcomes and patient experience.
Each team will present their Sustainable Quality Improvement (SusQI) project to a judging panel. Projects will focus on priority areas identified through carbon hotspot analysis, collaboration with Challenge partners and consultation with people with lived experience, with the shared goal of reducing environmental harm and tackling health inequalities within gastroenterology care.
For more information please contact Debs Kerry, our Green Team Delivery Lead.