Educating health professionals in primary care for action on clean air
I think talking about [air pollution] and spreading the message. A lot of my colleagues, I think just weren't really aware of the full extent of the health impacts and kind of the local levels of air pollution and simple tools you can have to just mitigate your risk.
GP participating in the project
The vision of Global Action Plan’s clean air work is connected, resilient, low carbon communities, where people's health is enhanced by their environment at home and in their local neighbourhood.
Air pollution is well recognised as an urgent public health emergency: it causes up to 36,000 deaths, over 20,000 respiratory and cardiovascular hospital admissions and 6 million sick days every year in the UK, at an estimated total social cost of £22.6 billion per annum. It is a health issue that the health sector needs to address, with an initial focus on the most vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children and those with heart and lung conditions who are at a disproportionately high risk from air pollution.
As some of the most trusted messengers in society, health professionals can play a crucial role in protecting people’s health – especially that of some of the most vulnerable people who come through the door of the health service every day.
Our Mobilising Primary Care on Air Pollution projects highlighted the importance of talking to patients about air pollution. Health professionals were provided with training on the causes and impacts of air pollution and how to support patients to protect their health.
Our pilot project ran from October 2021 - August 2022, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It was a collaboration between Global Action Plan, Imperial College London’s Environmental Research Group and the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC).
We recruited 43 GPs and allied health professionals to form our first cohort of Clean Air Champions. Together with this group, we co-designed training workshops and created leaflets and posters on air pollution.
Our Clean Air Champions cascaded their new knowledge about air pollution to colleagues and patients across the country, and within local and regional NHS groups.
A second pilot project, funded by DEFRA and delivered in collaboration with Islington Council, saw a further 17 GPs and health professionals trained across the borough.
88%
of GPs had spoken to their patients about air pollution after the training, before this it had only been 7%
52%
of Islington patients who received advice from their GP changed their behaviour to reduce their exposure to air pollution
100%
of health care practitioners reported that the training was useful in preparing them to talk about air pollution
With thanks to Islington Council
Related content
31st January 23
31/01/23
