According to the World Health Organisation and the UK Government, air pollution is the largest environmental risk to health we face today. It can cause heart and lung diseases, is linked to mental health issues and affects childrens' lung development.
Each year, air pollution is estimated to be responsible for 36,000 deaths in the UK and is expected to cause 2.4 million new cases of disease in England between now and 2035.
Air pollution in and around our hospitals can come from many different sources, as illustrated below.
Due to the health impacts, we as a Trust have a duty of care to our patients, staff and local communities to reduce our contribution to both outdoor and indoor air pollution.
For more information on air quality in Liverpool, head over to the Lets Clear the Air Liverpool website.
Clean Air Hospital Framework
In 2022, we committed to working towards the Clean Air Hospital Framework, which was developed by Great Ormond Street Hospital and environmental charity Global Action Plan. This is a self-assessment tool is based on a points system for positive actions to reduce air pollution across seven key areas:
- Travel
- Procurement and supply chain
- Design and construction
- Energy generation
- Local air quality
- Communication and training
- Hospital outreach and leadership.
We will be working with teams across the Trust to improve our progress against the framework and reduce our contribution to air pollution.
Air sensors with Liverpool John Moores University
In 2022 we also started working with Professor Trung Thanh Nguyen from Liverpool John Moors University as part of a wider air quality monitoring project across the city. This has included the installation of a travel sensor, outdoor air quality monitor and indoor air quality monitor at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.