RCSI has launched the Green Theatre Accreditation Scheme (GTAS), a new national accreditation programme which will provide hospitals with a structured pathway to reduce the environmental impact of surgery while maintaining the highest standards of patient care.

The scheme provides hospitals with a practical, evidence-based framework to reduce emissions, minimise waste, and improve resource efficiency across surgical services. It was developed by RCSI with support from the HSE Climate and Sustainability Programme and the HSE Spark Innovation Programme and is aligned with the HSE Climate Action Strategy 2023–2050.

Healthcare is estimated to account for between four and five per cent of global carbon emissions, with surgery among the most resource-intensive areas of care. A typical surgical procedure can generate between 150 and 170 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, highlighting the significant opportunity to improve environmental sustainability within operating theatres.

The Green Theatre Accreditation Scheme is based on the principles of the Intercollegiate Green Theatre Checklist and translates them into a structured and evidence-based approach to improving sustainability in operating theatres. It is built around 10 pillars of sustainable practice covering areas including anaesthetic sustainability, waste reduction and recycling, energy efficiency, sustainable procurement, governance and culture, and performance monitoring.

Hospitals can achieve bronze, silver or gold accreditation, recognising progressive achievement in sustainable surgical care, and providing surgical teams with a structured framework through which they can assess current practice, identify opportunities for improvement and demonstrate progress towards more environmentally sustainable surgical care.

Professor Michael Kerin, President of RCSI, said: "Healthcare systems have a responsibility not only to care for patients today but also to contribute to a healthier future for generations to come. The Green Theatre Accreditation Scheme provides hospitals with a practical and achievable route to reduce their environmental impact while maintaining excellent patient outcomes."

The GTAS was officially launched by RCSI Vice President Mr David Moore, who said: "Sustainable healthcare is no longer an ambition; it is an operational necessity. By recognising and supporting sustainable innovation in surgical practice, the scheme will help create a national network of theatres that are leading the transition to climate-smart healthcare."

The scheme is intended to support the delivery of the HSE Climate Action Strategy by translating healthcare sustainability commitments into practical action within operating theatres. It also operationalises many of the ambitions set out in the HSE's Greener Models of Healthcare Framework, which identifies operating theatres and anaesthetic gases as key areas for action in reducing healthcare-related emissions.

Welcoming the initiative, Roisin Breen, Climate and Sustainability Programme Manager with the HSE, said: "The focus of the HSE Climate Action and Sustainability Programme is shifting from guidance development to supporting, enabling, measuring and educating regional and local green teams to put in place tangible actions that lead us to a more sustainable healthcare service. This work could not be more urgent. The programme is delighted to partner with RCSI on this initiative, which will provide a structured approach for theatres to ensure they are delivering care in the most sustainable manner possible."

Four hospitals have participated in the first GTAS pilot: St James's Hospital; South Dublin Surgical Hub, Mount Carmel; Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital; and Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore. The pilot has been deliberately collaborative and broad in scope, involving four hospitals representing a diverse range of surgical and theatre settings.

In addition to testing the accreditation criteria, it has allowed RCSI and participating hospitals to test and refine the submission, evidence, assessment and accreditation processes. The contribution of the pilot sites has been important not only in demonstrating sustainable practice locally but also in helping shape the future of the scheme.

The GTAS is now open to hospitals across Ireland. Further information is available by emailing GTAS@rcsi.com.