Plea to look at how pollution affects young people

Children's health experts have been urged to look at how air pollution is affecting the lives of young people by a council cabinet member.

Linda Bigham told a Coventry City Council health and wellbeing board such work could make a real difference and "would be an exciting area to look at to see what can be done".

Plenty of work was taking place locally, officers explained to the Labour councillor, both on outdoor and indoor air quality.

Monitoring was going on, particularly at schools, the cabinet member for adult services heard, and in the home a trial had started to monitor air pollution and encourage people to use fewer wood-burning stoves.

Bigham was speaking at the latest health and wellbeing board on an item on children's health.

Data produced at the meeting highlighted some of the problem areas regarding asthma.

Under plans to introduce multidisciplinary teams to oversee the health of children and young people, the city has been divided into six areas, with south east Coventry having the highest rate.

Figures show that of the 18,474 children and young people in the area that covers Willenhall, Binley and Lower Stoke, 6.9% suffer with asthma.

At the other end of the scale, the rate in north central Coventry, which incorporates Hillfields and Foleshill, is 5%.

Anita Morgan, a consultant paediatrician working with NHS Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, said: "We know that air pollution has a negative impact, particularly on children's health.

"We know that high levels, be it from wood-burning stoves or traffic, are likely to lead to increased attendances at A&E."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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