The case for health sector action for clean air
Great Ormond Street Hospital and Global Action Plan launched an open letter and event supporting a call from the health sector for more ambitious government action on clean air
There is increasing awareness of the health effects of what we eat and drink, but despite causing thousands of premature deaths every year in London, the health effects of what we breathe in are not as well appreciated, even by many healthcare professionals.
As a lung cancer consultant, I frequently diagnose never smokers with lung cancer in London. We can all make effective changes, we just need the impetus to do so. The more we can clean up our air, the healthier our people will be.
Dr Anant Patel, Consultant Respiratory Physician
Air pollution negatively impacts our health at every stage of our lives. Global Action Plan is committed to working for cleaner air and our goal is to end the burning of fossil fuels in urban areas by 2035.
The UK government has committed to reviewing air quality targets, so we have a pivotal opportunity to influence policy and ensure the government sets an ambitious course of action towards clean air, as defined by World Health Organization guidelines.
Building on Global Action Plan’s years of experience working with health professionals on clean air, we collaborated with Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to launch an open letter to the UK government, urging them to set the right level of ambition for action on air pollution and calling for the adoption of World Health Organization air quality guidelines for our health in the UK.
500
signatories of health professionals to our open letter calling on the government to be more ambitious with air quality targets
75
health professionals joined our Clean Air Day walk and wheel from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Parliament Square, to promote their open letter calling for more ambitious government targets for air quality
We got 500 signatures for our open letter, the largest every mobilisation of health professionals in support for clean air.
On Clean Air Day 2025, we were joined by over 75 health professionals, patients and campaigners who walked and wheeled with us from Great Ormond Street Hospital to Parliament Square to deliver this letter to cross-party MPs. The event was organised by Global Action Plan in partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital and Health Equals, with support from the Ella Roberta Foundation and Mums for Lungs.
The walk was joined by Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy Mete Coban MBE, and was met by Baroness Jenny Jones, Uma Kumaran MP, Sarah Coombes MP, Rachel Blake MP, Sian Berry MP, Brian Mathew MP, Joe Powell MP, Fleur Anderson MP and Ellie Chowns MP. It was covered live by Women’s Hour and BBC London.
Read the open letter from health professionals to the Prime Minister calling for urgent action to clean up our air
Use our resources and training on how to have effective conversations with your patients about air pollution
Sign-up to our clean air mailing list to receive the latest news and actions for the health sector on clean air
I’m proud to be joining healthcare professionals and campaigners on Clean Air Day in their call for cleaner air in London. The right to clean air is a matter of social and environmental justice, which is why the Mayor and I are doing everything in our power to protect public health by putting London on a pathway to meeting World Health Organization air quality guidelines by 2030, including delivering the world’s largest clean air zone. It is crucial that the Government MATCHES our ambition and continues to work with us to create a greener, safer London for everyone.
Mete Coban MBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy
With thanks to Great Ormond Street Hospital
Caring for children and young people means doing all we can to improve the air they breathe. Clean air isn’t a luxury – it's a fundamental part of a healthy childhood and that’s why we are walking to Parliament to encourage the Government to make a commitment to ambitious air quality targets.
We’re not doing our job as healthcare professionals if we’re not also pushing for the changes we need to see to ensure our patients - and all children and young people - can grow up in an environment that doesn’t cause them harm everyday.
Mat Shaw, CEO Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
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