Medics in Manchester urge action from Government to tackle air pollution
Mums for Lungs want a clear plan to how Greater Manchester will phase out the most polluting diesel cars and vans
Hundreds of NHS medics are calling for government action on air pollution.
Organised by Mums for Lungs Manchester, a group of health professionals and campaigners will gather outside Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital on Thursday morning (Thurs 19 June, 10am) to call for action from the Mayor of Greater Manchester and UK Government to tackle this silent killer.
Across the UK, over 400 NHS doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals have signed a joint letter to the Government, to call for urgent and ambitious action to clean up our dirty air and prevent the devastating impacts air pollution has on our health, which will be delivered to Downing Street.
The activity, a partnership with Global Action Plan, Mums for Lungs, The Ella Roberta Foundation and Health Equals, is part of activity across the UK to mark Clean Air Day.
It comes as a new report from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has warned that air pollution affects almost every organ in the human body, and is estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 30,000 deaths in the UK in 2025 and cost more than £27 billion annually.
Air pollution is the UK’s fourth biggest killer and the letter calls on the Government to urgently meet World Health Organization air quality guidelines, the international standard to protect public health.
In Manchester, the numbers of young children aged three or under admitted to hospital or attending outpatient services with serious breathing problems has jumped by a third (33%) from 654 to 872.
Figures obtained by Mums for Lungs under the Freedom of Information Act, show that in the last two years nearly 8,500 children were admitted to the specialist paediatric respiratory services at Manchester University Foundation NHS Trust or seen as outpatients. The hospitals include Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital, Salford Royal and North Manchester General.
Dr Alice Willson, a Paediatric registrar based in Manchester said: “The evidence is undeniable: air pollution is having a serious impact on children's health in Manchester and across the UK. We are seeing far too many young people being treated in hospitals for conditions that are entirely preventable. From before birth, children are exposed to toxic air that can damage their lungs, increase the risk of asthma and infections, and even affect their brain development and learning. As a health professional, I witness the consequences daily — children suffering from avoidable illnesses — and I can’t help but wonder why decisive action still hasn’t been taken to protect them."
In Manchester, the letter will be sent to Afzal Khan MP, Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, who has agreed to organise a summit with NHS professionals and campaigners on air quality.
Afzal Khan MP said: “No one should suffer with health issues because of air pollution. We must be sure our children are protected from the preventable illnesses that toxic air can cause. Mancunians deserve to live happy, healthy lives and I am proud to support the work of Mums for Lungs and many other campaigners who are demanding action on improving our air quality.”
Hilary Judd, a parent who lives in South Manchester said: “I can taste and smell the air pollution on my cycle to work and whilst doing the school run. It’s a huge source of anxiety as a parent knowing the effects this is having on all the local children. My son who is now 6 has recently had a really scary asthma attack where he struggled to breathe and now unfortunately has inhalers to manage it. We need to be doing better for our whole community as the quality of the air we breathe affects everyone.”
The levels of Nitrogen Dioxide in Manchester have increased by 6% since 2021, and it is the only local authority in exceedance of legal limits that is continuing to see an upward trajectory.
Liz Godfrey, a parent of two, who runs the Manchester Mums for Lungs group, added: “Air pollution is putting children’s health at risk every single day – and nowhere is this more urgent than in Greater Manchester. Kids are growing up breathing toxic air that's making them sick, something medics see every day. That’s why we’ve joined forces on this call to action. The Government must step up now and adopt the WHO’s clean air guidelines to protect our children’s futures.”
Mums for Lungs is calling for the Government, Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham and local councils to take action on air pollution, including a plan to reach the WHO targets on air pollution and a clear plan to phase out the most polluting diesel cars and vans in Greater Manchester.
A Clean Air Greater Manchester spokesperson said: “Poor air quality is a national health emergency, and we are committed to cleaning up the air that we breathe and making the city-region a cleaner and healthier place to live in.
“Air pollution is continuing to improve in Greater Manchester, and we are making real inroads to cleaning up the air we all breathe through investment in the Bee Network. This includes the Government investing £2.5 billion in Greater Manchester public transport, paving the way for a thousand new electric buses and future expansions of Metrolink, which is already powered by renewable energy, as well as the integration of local rail lines into the Bee Network.
“We’re seeing the results, with more and more people choosing public transport and active travel over the car. Since taking back control of local buses, we now have over 300 electric buses running on Greater Manchester’s roads. This is a huge step forward in our long-term ambition to deliver the UK’s first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport network by 2030.”