NHS Wales Sustainability Conference 2025

DATE: 20th June 2025: 08:00 – 16:00
VENUE: Swansea Arena
For NHS Wales Sustainability Awards 2025 please CLICK HERE
Following a highly successful regional event, Swansea Bay and Hywel Dda University Health Boards came together to collaborate again on the Welsh NHS Sustainability Conference & Awards. The first national event of its kind in Wales, saw exceptional levels of engagement from all 13 NHS organisations. Delegates were taken on a journey from climate mitigation through to adaptation, shown outstanding examples of innovative projects and heard from colleagues involved in this agenda from all corners of the NHS. We met the challenge of ‘Spread & Scale’ with interactive sessions led by The Dragon’s Heart Institute with the key message of delivering sustainable healthcare being reinforced by experts and leaders alike. For more on the event, please listen to the podcast and subscribe for more content:
In its second year, the Welsh NHS Sustainability Conference & Awards is going big! Delivering sustainable healthcare has never been more important, and this event is designed by those meeting the challenge, for colleagues and partners across the country. Collaboration across the system to evolve more quickly and protect those who are most exposed to climate risk is imperative. To do this we need to work together to achieve net zero so shared goals and strengthened relationships will be the key to success. With a refreshing line up and sessions focussed on the gaps in sustainability in the NHS in Wales, we aim to build on the messaging of the first event and deliver real outcomes. After all, SUSTAINABILITY IS A TEAM SPORT
*AstraZeneca has provided sponsorship towards this independent programme. AstraZeneca has had no editorial input into or control over the agenda, content development or choice of speakers, nor opportunity to influence except for the AstraZeneca sponsored presentation.
Register to attend the event here:
Event Speakers.












Event Schedule.
08.00 – 09.25 – Registration, networking and drinks
09.25 – 09.35 – Jeremy Miles MS
09.35 – 09.40 – Huw Irranca-Davies MS- Deputy First Minister (Delivering a video address)
09.40 – 09.45 – Judith Paget – Chief Operating Officer – NHS Wales
09.45 – 10.00 – George Godfrey, Head of Medical, Respiratory – AstraZeneca
10.00 – 10.30 – Panel discussion – chaired by Lisa Wise – Deputy Director of the Health & Social Care Climate Emergency Program – NHS Wales
10.30 – 11.20 – Networking and refreshments
11.25 – 12.15 – Workshop streams
Making circularity and recycling an all Wales approach – Delivered by Dr Gary Walpole, Director CEIC Wales & Calum Shaw, Sustainability Manager, Cwm Taf HB
This interactive workshop will outline the challenges of the innovation process and encourage participants to discuss the barriers and enablers of Circular Economy innovation. The workshop will feature a case study from the NHS in Wales and recent research that detailed opportunities for the NHS in Wales to both reduce carbon footprint and save money.
Case studies from across Europe – Dr Felipe Villar – Pulmonologist – Fundación Jiménez Díaz
- Raise awareness and educate: Promote environmental awareness and sustainability education at all levels of society.
- Sustainable medical practices: Implement methods in the healthcare sector that reduce environmental impact, such as efficient resource use and proper management of medical waste.
- Digitalization and innovation: Encourage the use of digital technologies to optimize processes, reduce paper consumption, and improve energy efficiency.
- Sustainable transportation: Promote low-emission transportation methods such as bicycles, electric vehicles, or efficient public transport.
- Waste management, recycling, and reuse: Establish effective systems to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste, minimizing environmental impact.
- Energy efficiency: Improve energy use in buildings, industries, and homes through clean technologies and responsible habits.
Research: Promote scientific and technological research to find innovative solutions to environmental challenges
- The magnificent seven impacts of sustainable travel
- Buildings & Infrastructure
12.15 – 12.30 – Movement Break
12.30 – 13.20 – Workshop streams
- Local Food, food security & healthy food
- Innovation & Social Value
- AI and Sustainability
- Building Sustainability into Training, Culture & Practice
13.20 -15.00 – Lunch and networking
15.00 – 15.50 – Workshop streams
- Moving forward, what we can do next.
Session description:
Discover a novel approach to spreading and scaling innovation or best practice in this interactive workshop. Learn the fundamentals of the Model for Unleashing—a proven methodology blending practical tools, leadership development, and system-level thinking to drive impactful change at scale. The Dragon’s Heart Institute team will give you a taste of both the technical skills and inner development work needed to help scale your project across your organisation, your system and beyond.
- Silly rules
Breaking ‘silly rules’ for better health and care – Overview
This interactive session explores the Silly Rules initiative, led by the Bevan Commission in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and Llais. Discover key insights from the national campaign to identify unhelpful rules that obstruct good care—and learn what changes staff and the public believe would improve outcomes, reduce waste, and enhance experiences across Wales’ health and care system.
- Making sustainability a golden thread
- Greener social prescribing
16.00 – 16.15 – Reflections from the day and closing remarks
**These times and invited speakers are subject to change without notice**