The Waterford department is the fifth emergency or injury unit in Ireland to receive recognition under the sustainability programme.
University Hospital Waterford’s emergency department has received silver accreditation from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine under its GreenED programme.
GreenED is a structured sustainability programme for emergency departments. Participating services work through evidence-based actions intended to reduce waste and emissions, improve the use of resources and support patient care. The programme is organised across bronze, silver and gold levels, with formal accreditation awarded when a department completes the required actions for a tier.
The Waterford department’s recognition follows collaboration between participating Irish services, the HSE Climate Action and Sustainability Office and the National Clinical Programme for Emergency Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. The work was supported through the HSE’s Spark Innovation Programme, which backs staff-led improvements in healthcare.
The HSE said the Waterford project was led locally by consultant in emergency medicine Orla Kelly and Dr Bianca van der Linde, with staff across the department contributing to the programme.
Roisin Breen, programme manager with the HSE Climate and Sustainability Programme, said five emergency departments and injury units in Ireland have now received GreenED recognition, while four more have begun the accreditation process.
Royal College of Emergency Medicine president Dr Ian Higginson said the silver award reflects sustained work by the Waterford team to reduce emissions and waste. He linked the programme to the health effects of climate change and the responsibility of emergency-care services to improve their own environmental performance.
The Royal College says GreenED gives teams a practical framework, supporting resources and measurement tools.
Departments are expected to complete the requirements at each level before applying for accreditation. The programme also connects sustainability with quality improvement, including reduced unnecessary testing, streamlined pathways, staff engagement and financial savings.
