SusQI Showcase
May 2026
Thank you to all who contributed to a successful 2026 Showcase Event. The event showcased local and international examples of integrating sustainability into healthcare practice, aligning with the three radical shifts outlined in NHS England's 10 Year Health Plan:
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analogue to digital
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hospital to community
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sickness to prevention
Please see below for further details of our speakers, a synopsis of their content, and recordings of their presentations.
"It really was inspiring to hear what great work is going on across the UK in different parts of the NHS and how cross system working is supporting this as well!"
2026 Showcase Attendee
Introduction
Talk synopsis: Keynote Speaker Dr Amanda Young
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Dr Amanda Young from the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing opens the showcase, reflecting on how healthcare has shifted from traditionally low‑waste practices to more resource‑intensive systems.
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She highlights how community‑based innovation, including nurse‑led garden projects, demonstrates that small, local changes can improve wellbeing, reduce demand for services, and support prevention.
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Embedding sustainability into education and practice through SusQI is key to empowering healthcare professionals to deliver better care for both people and planet.
Talk synopsis: SusQI In Practice, Alberta, Canada
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Alberta Health Services share their winning Green Teams project, “Bring Your Own Bronchodilator,” which reduces single-use inhaler waste in pulmonary function labs.
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By enabling patients to use their own inhalers and safely introducing multi-use devices, they achieved a 95% reduction in waste, alongside significant carbon and cost savings.
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This project demonstrates how simple system changes, supported by staff and patients, can deliver large-scale sustainability benefits and are now being scaled across the province.
Part 1: From sickness to prevention
Talk synopsis:
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Kingston and Richmond NHS Trust maternity team present the Olive Clinic, designed to improve access and outcomes for Albanian‑speaking women.
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Through continuity of care, culturally appropriate interpreting services and accessible information, the clinic reduced missed appointments and improved patient experience.
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This targeted, preventative approach demonstrates how addressing health inequalities can improve outcomes while reducing future demand on services.
Talk synopsis:
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The Green Space for Health team showcase how nature can be embedded into healthcare as a preventative intervention through programmes such as NHS Forest and Green Health Routes.
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By connecting community spaces with accessible walking routes and green activities, they support wellbeing, reduce healthcare demand and tackle health inequalities.
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Nature is not a “nice to have”, but a powerful, underused resource for prevention, recovery and sustainable healthcare systems.
Talk synopsis:
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The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education share a retrospective analysis of over 1,300 quality improvement projects completed by pharmacy professionals.
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Although few projects explicitly referenced sustainability, 86% aligned with at least one SusQI principle such as prevention, patient empowerment or lean processes.
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This work highlights the hidden sustainability impact already embedded in routine improvement work and the opportunity to make it more visible going forward.
Part 2: From hospital to community
Talk synopsis:
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Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust present a project redesigning the urgent suspected skin cancer pathway using teledermatology and community clinics.
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By bringing services closer to patients, the project reduced travel, improved access and delivered significant carbon savings.
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Despite implementation challenges, the work shows how rethinking pathways can shift care into the community while improving patient experience and sustainability.
Talk synopsis:
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An integrated autism service in Wales presents a co-produced nature-based intervention supporting autistic adults through gardening and outdoor activities.
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The programme achieved 100% attendance and significant improvements in wellbeing, confidence and social connection.
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By moving beyond traditional clinical models, this project demonstrates how community-based, therapeutic environments can deliver meaningful, preventative support.
Talk synopsis:
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South Warwickshire physiotherapy present a project reducing unnecessary referrals from care homes by empowering staff with skills and education.
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Through training, resources and improved referral processes, they reduced referrals and waiting times while improving care quality for residents.
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This preventative, system-wide approach highlights the value of building capability in community settings to reduce demand and improve outcomes.
Part 3: From analogue to digital
Talk synopsis:
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Oxford Health NHS FT presented a project introducing continuous glucose monitoring for housebound patients requiring insulin administration.
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Comprehensive reviews revealed previously undetected hypo and hyperglycaemia, leading to treatment changes, improved independence and reduced demand on nursing visits.
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Although initial resource use increased, long-term savings in carbon, cost and clinical risk demonstrate the value of data-driven, personalised care.
Please note due to team unavailability during the SusQI Showcase, this is a recorded presentation of the project from the Green Nursing Challenge Showcase.
Talk synopsis:
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Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust present their experience of introducing the Isla Health App, a digital solution enabling patients to share photos and videos to support remote triage in urgent community care.
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The project reduced unnecessary home visits and hospital admissions, while improving patient experience and delivering significant cost and carbon savings.
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Digital tools, when implemented thoughtfully, can enhance decision-making and support a shift towards more proactive, community-based care.