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The Green Nursing Challenge returns for 2026

Applications now open for the 2026 Green Nursing Challenge

The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) is proud to launch the second Green Nursing Challenge, a national programme supporting nurses and midwives to lead sustainable healthcare improvements across the UK. The first Challenge, in 2025, saw six teams deliver an estimated £691,844 in annual savings and cut 77,398 kgCO₂e a year between them.

Once again fully funded by Micro-Tech UK, this year’s Challenge is delivered in partnership with our first edition partners the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing and the Foundation of Nursing Studies, in addition to Nursing Now Challenge and the Social Care Nursing Advisory Council. This is the opportunity for six new teams to be selected to receive mentoring and structured support from CSH to develop, run and measure Sustainable Quality Improvement (SusQI) projects, presenting their results at a national Showcase in May 2027.

“The Green Nurse Challenge represents an important investment in the future of sustainable healthcare. Meaningful progress often comes from people who are prepared to challenge established thinking and find better ways of doing things. By empowering healthcare professionals to develop innovative solutions and lead environmental change, these initiatives foster engagement, leadership, and sustainability capability across the workforce, creating lasting impact throughout the healthcare sector.” — Gareth Bullen, Managing Director, Micro-Tech UK

Who can apply

We’re inviting qualified and early-career nurses and midwives across every specialty and setting — acute, community and social care — including quality improvement and governance teams, infection control teams, nursing managers and leaders, and nursing educators. Teams are also encouraged to consider how they might involve nursing students on placement in their project.

”Nurses are ideally placed to identify opportunities to improve care, reduce unnecessary waste and use healthcare resources more sustainably.” — Zoe Fry, Director of Nursing, Outstanding Society / Social Care Nursing Advisory Council

Find out more

Join our free online launch event to hear more about the Challenge and how to apply.

Read the full Green Nursing Challenge 2026 page for eligibility, timeline and how to apply.

Recruitment opens 7 September and closes 9 October 2026.

For questions, contact Debs Kerry, Green Team Delivery Lead, at debs.kerry@sustainablehealthcare.org.uk.

This project, fully funded by Micro-Tech UK, is led by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) in partnership with the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, the Foundation of Nursing Studies, Nursing Now Challenge and the Social Care Nursing Advisory Council.