A Seminar on Air Pollution and Health Communications.

Brighton - January 2007.

airALERT was established in Sussex to pilot a pollution information service for asthma sufferers, by informing volunteers by phone when air pollution could impact on their health. The results of this summers' pilot along with similar services available in the UK will be presented in the seminar in Brighton.

The seminar bought together health and environmental professionals and provided a forum on the emergence of new technology and information.

Presentations form the seminar are found below:

"Getting the Health Message Out There" - a Seminar on Air Pollution and Health Communications. The importance of partnerships working to deliver better health provision and self-health management. Professor Frank Kelly, King's College London

airALERT - “Getting the message out there” Nigel Jenkins – Project Officer for Sussex Air Quality Partnership (Sussex-air)

Yourair and airTEXT – L. B. Croydons health alert information service Clive Simmonds – London Borough of Croydon

Health Forecasts for COPD – The Met Office health forecasting system Patrick Sachon – The Met Office

Patient and Health Service Benefits Ashley Green – British Lung Foundation

Asthma patient response to airALERT – review of patients feed-back on airALERT06 Dr Kirsty Smallbone – University of Brighton

Delivering health information in Northern France Celine Leger – Air Normande, France.

Integrated health information systems in Europe – Greece, Cyprus and France Dr Kostas Karatzas – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

 

THE SEMINAR PROVIDED INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION ON -

WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED:

• Health information for Asthma, COPD and other respiratory sensitive patients.
• Localised, regional or national services.
• Direct to patients, surgeries, hospitals and PCT's

 WHY PROVIDE THESE TYPES OF SERVICES:

• Patient benefit: informs patients of likely episodes which could affect their health and support patient well being and self health management
• Reduce and manage accute admissions during forecasted pollution periods
• Provides information for resource management (episodic admissions, medication, staff resources)

WHO CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES:

• Partnerships between PCT's, Local Authority Environmental Services and Public Health bodies.
• Local authorities and national organisations can provide information and data to support services.

HOW CAN THESE SERVICES BE DELIVERED:

Identifying patient pathways Targeting recipients of services Establishing partnerships

Utilising best methods of delivery through text, voice or other mediums. Letting people know how to use and benefit from health information services

SPEAKERS FROM THE FOLLOWING ORGANISATIONS:

SUSSEXair - airALERT pilot project (06)	British Lung Foundation
The Met Office - COPD Health Forecast Unit	Croydon/London YourAir and airTEXT project
Universty of Brighton	European and French Air Quality Agencies
King's College London - Env. Research Group