Shropshire is bucking air pollution trend, research shows

New figures show nearly 18 million patients in England are registered at GP surgeries that are in areas with unsafe levels of pollution.

UK100, a network of local government leaders supporting clean energy, is calling for leadership from central Government to tackle the problem with new laws and new funding for local authorities to clean up pollution in towns and cities.

London topped the table for having the most patients registered at GP practices in areas that exceed the World Health Organisation’s limit on particulate matter pollution.

But there were no GP surgeries in Shropshire in areas of unsafe air pollution.

In the West Midlands there were 1.4 million patients attending a surgery in an area that breaches WHO air pollution limits, according to the data.The figures are based on new analysis, by UK100, of data published by the British Lung Foundation and the NHS digital database.

Polly Billington, director of UK100, said: “These figures show that air pollution is a national problem.

“Some of the most vulnerable groups of people including young children and older people will walk to their GP, often to get help with respiratory conditions like asthma and bronchitis.”

Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation, added: “It’s just not acceptable that nearly 18 million people are breathing unsafe levels of air pollution when seeking medical care from their GP.

“We know that our society’s most vulnerable people – especially children, the elderly and those with heart and lung problems – are most at risk from air pollution.

“More must be done to keep them and health care staff safe; the World Health Organisation’s limit on particulate matter pollution should be included in the upcoming Environment Bill to ensure we meet it.”