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The Islington Primary Care for Clean Air Project

Health home Islington Primary Care project

Global Action Plan has been working with Islington Council to encourage and support GPs in the borough to advise and protect patients against poor air quality. The pilot project is funded by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and will help to influence a national model supporting GPs to reduce the health impacts of air pollution.

 

The campaign involves training GPs and other primary care professionals to inform residents that there are actions they can take to reduce both their emissions of air pollution and their exposure to emissions. A communications campaign across the borough, covering advertising and social media channels, encouraged behaviour change in local residents.

 

Why GPs?

 

As some of the most trusted messengers in society, GPs and health professionals working in primary care 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.

 

The project provides a unique opportunity for GPs to co-create and disseminate a communications campaign, among patients across Islington and beyond, to increase air quality awareness and actions that can reduce exposure to air pollution.

 

Aims 

 

By working collaboratively with GPs and other health professionals we have developed the most appropriate approach to engaging patients on air pollution. We are showing that health professionals can weave information on air pollution into their work, paving the way for the broader health community to take a long-term approach to equipping professionals to provide such advice. 

 

Specific actions include:

  •  Identifying the most appropriate points in the patient care pathway to provide air pollution advice to patients.
  •  Developing messaging about air pollution action.
  • Designing communication collateral for patients, doctors and the GP surgery
  •  Monitoring and surveying GP surgeries and patients on the project's impact.

 

Download our resources

 

If you have any questions about this project, please email cleanerair@globalactionplan.org.uk