COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE CELEBRATES SUSTAINABILITY AT GREEN TEAM COMPETITION
21 September 2026
Healthcare professionals from across Coventry and Warwickshire came together for this year’s Green Team Competition and Sustainability Showcase on Friday 11 September.
Now in its second year, the Green Team Competition is a clinical leadership and.png)
engagement programme that supports NHS organisations to deliver more sustainable services.
NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board partnered with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) to help six teams across the system embed sustainability into their services. Each team received mentoring and guidance on the Sustainability in Quality Improvement (SusQI) methodology, which assesses financial, environmental and social benefits alongside clinical outcomes.
At the event, the teams presented their innovative projects to the judging panel, demonstrating how they had reduced environmental impact while maintaining safe and effective care.
Dr Cat Roberts, Clinical Director at NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB and a member of the judging panel, added:
“I was incredibly impressed by the standard of the applications. What stood out was the teams’ ability to communicate a clear vision, which is not always easy with clinical pressures. Your leadership has made a real difference, and I am delighted to see the work that has taken place.”
The George Eliot Neonatal Team won the competition for its project to remove single-use disposable teats. The judges praised the project for putting people at its heart while delivering sustainable healthcare benefits. The team reviewed how feeding practices could be improved, listened to feedback and worked collaboratively to develop a practical solution. Replacing single-use teats and bottles with reusable slow-flow alternatives is expected to improve bottle-feeding skills and experiences, while potentially reducing the time needed to move from tube to oral feeding. The change will also lower unit costs and reduce plastic waste and carbon emissions.
Joanna Smith, Sustainability Lead at NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“We began running the Green Team Competition as a system last year because some of the most innovative and impactful sustainability solutions come directly from staff, not only sustainability leads at the ICB or Trusts. Every day, colleagues across our organisations identify opportunities to improve services, reduce waste and achieve better outcomes.
“Working with the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, we want to provide a platform that recognises the excellent work already taking place across the system.”
The Urology Team at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) was highly commended for its project to introduce a one-stop haematuria clinic and decarbonise the flexible cystoscopy tray, reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
The judges praised the project as a strong example of embedding sustainability into service improvement and pathway redesign. It showed how environmental benefits can be achieved alongside better patient care, experience and service efficiency.
Together, the Green Team Competition projects are expected to save £547,197 annually and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 46,538 kg CO2e.
Joanna added: “Today is not just about selecting a winner. It is about sharing ideas, recognising success and learning from one another. Many of these projects could be adapted and replicated across the system.”
Congratulations to all the teams involved.