https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/gosh-and-global-action-plan-launch-first-ever-clean-air-hospital-framework/
GOSH and Global Action Plan launch the first ever Clean Air Hospital Framework
5 Mar 2019, 11:36 a.m.
Today 5 March sees Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) and Global Action Plan launching the first ever Clean Air Hospital Framework (CAHF), a strategy aimed at improving air quality in and around hospitals in order to create a healthier environment for patients and their families, staff, and the local community.
Seven key areas for trusts
As part of this the CAHF looks at seven key areas trusts can address including travel, procurement and supply chain, local air quality, and communication and training. It is hoped that the wider NHS community will champion the framework, so patients and communities across the UK can benefit.
The journey to fully implement CAHF will take time and needs a collaborative approach cutting across all hospital departments, however GOSH has already begun to implement quick actions alongside more long-term strategic planning. For example, in the area of communication and training, the hospital has created a clean air learning pack in order to engage clinical staff, patients and contractors in building a clean air culture.
Over the next 12 to 18 months, the hospital is also hoping to introduce a number of measures to improve the environment in and around the hospital, including creating interactive materials for patients, integrating clean air education into the staff induction process, establishing a programme of air quality monitoring, procuring alternative products for soft service needs and introducing CAHF requirements into the hospital tendering process.
GOSH currently treats a number of patients with conditions that are impacted by air quality, including cystic fibrosis, cardiorespiratory conditions, chronic asthma, lung disease and other airway anomalies. As such, the hospital is committed to pioneering solutions that address this emerging environmental health issue.
Speaking of the framework, Matthew Shaw, Chief Executive of GOSH said:
“GOSH is proud to partner with Global Action Plan and develop the first ever Clean Air Hospital Framework. We see a number of patients in our hospital who are impacted by air quality, and as an NHS trust we are delighted to be pioneering a strategy aimed at creating a healthy environment for patients, staff and the surrounding community. We hope other hospitals will be inspired to do the same so that patients and communities across the UK may benefit.”
Speaking of the launch Chris Large, Senior Partner at Global Action Plan said:
“Air pollution is a health issue which requires a health sector response. GOSH has led the way on this by working with Global Action Plan to create the very first Clean Air Hospital Framework. Now we’re calling for all hospitals across the UK to take up the mantle and become clean air champions for their local communities. That’s why we’ve made the framework free to access and fully adaptable. We welcome hospitals to get in touch to ask questions about how to implement their strategy.”
Access GOSH and Global Action Plan's Clean Air Hospital Framework.
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