The SusQI Programme
Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) Programme
CSH is working to make sustainability a part of all Quality Improvement education and practice in healthcare in the UK and internationally.
Why SusQI?
Our vision at CSH is for everyone to play their part in transforming healthcare for a sustainable future.
One problem is that sustainability is often seen as separate from clinical and financial priorities. Staff are therefore unsure how to relate this to their practice, while also lacking the time and skills to bring about change. However, today’s healthcare staff are rightly expected not just to provide excellent patient care, but to contribute to systematically improving healthcare services, using a process called Quality Improvement (QI). Making sustainability part of QI empowers staff with the knowledge and tools to address environmental and social challenges in healthcare as a core part of professional practice, using a recognised method for change.
The SusQI Education project (2019-2022) funded and supported by Health Education England, The Health Foundation, and Kings College London, facilitated the integration of sustainability into health professions education on quality improvement(QI), read more here. From this, CSH has developed the landmark Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) programme to equip health professionals to innovate for a more environmentally, socially and financially sustainable health service.
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Today the programme's primary aim is to integrate sustainability into all current QI teaching and practice in order to improve the knowledge and skills required for vital sustainable healthcare transformation. There are a number of ways you get involved:​​​​​​​
​Start a SusQI project
You can build environmental and social sustainability into any improvement project using CSH’s open-access SusQI toolkit. Read about SusQI in action and get inspiration from well over 100 SusQI project reports in our case library.
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For more support, sign up to our Sustainability in Quality Improvement course. You will learn to apply SusQI in your setting to identify high-impact areas for change, practise using tools, and explore up-to-date case examples. The course features self-study, interactive workshops, and follow-up ‘work in progress’ sessions, with a strong emphasis on sharing learning and networking.
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Teach Sustainability in QI
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Including sustainability in QI teaching has been shown not only to enhance learners' QI practice but also to shape their daily professional practice in delivering sustainable healthcare. Access our open-access Educator Pack for free materials to help you plan and run teaching sessions with different healthcare staff and student groups. Join the Teaching Sustainability in Quality Improvement course for support and the opportunity to exchange learning with other educators. Educator Pack | Teaching SusQI course
Embed sustainability into your organisation’s QI programmes
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Embed sustainability into your organisation’s QI programmes through the SusQI Academy. CSH provides bespoke support to healthcare organisations and education institutions to embed sustainability into their QI programmes and celebrate success. Organisations that have successfully embedded sustainability into their QI education and practice can gain recognition through our Beacon Site programme, joining sites in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. SusQI Academy | SusQI Beacon Site Recognition
Green Team Competition
The Green Team Competition is an award-winning programme in sustainable healthcare that transforms knowledge into action. It uses SusQI to empower healthcare organisations to bring sustainability and healthcare together, working directly with teams to improve clinical outcomes and equity, reduce organisational costs and become leaders in their journey towards zero carbon care. Green Team Competition | Green Specialty Challenge
Partner with us
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CSH works to influence QI policy, education and practice both in the UK and internationally. Key partnerships and initiatives include:
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Supporting the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) in advocating for sustainable healthcare, embedding sustainability into guidelines, and developing training packages to support integration.
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Collaborating with the University of Toronto’s Centre for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (CQuIPS) and CASCADES to develop an environmental sustainability extension of the International Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) guidelines.
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Contributing as a programme advisor to the IHI International Quality and Safety Forum (London 2024).
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Engaging the Health Foundation’s Q Community by promoting sustainable healthcare principles, facilitating resource-sharing and showcasing best practices, including convening the Sustainable Healthcare Special Interest Group and hosting Q Visits.
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Please get in touch if you would like to partner with us on scaling sustainability in QI