EarthSense, the air quality expert, today announced that it has been selected by University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) to provide air quality monitoring in and around Derriford Hospital, the largest specialist teaching hospital in the southwest peninsula and the region’s major trauma centre.
As part of its efforts to become a Clean Air Hospital, UHP is using four EarthSense Zephyr® monitors and EarthSense’s data access web application, MyAir® to better understand air quality at key locations around the Derriford Hospital site. The Trust will then use that data to work with suppliers, patients and staff to put in place clean air initiatives and pollution prevention schemes.
UHP is using three external air quality monitors, located near potential sources of air pollution: the main entrance, which has a large bus interchange; near the onsite incinerator; and outside the goods-in department. An indoor monitor, located in the emergency department will help UHP understand the impact of ambulances idling just outside the entrance, in the ambulance courtyard. Combined with the EarthSense MyAir® web application, this initiative showcases the Trust's commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of its patients, staff, and the local community by closely monitoring and optimizing air quality levels.
Kirsty Wavish, Green Plan Programme Manager at UHP said: "There is no doubt that cleaner air in and around the hospital can impact the health of patients and staff. Some pollutant particles such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide are small enough to inhale and they cause significant harm when breathed in. Such particulates are known to cause inflammation of the lungs, decreased lung function, aggravated asthma and irritation to the nose and throat lining. By working with EarthSense, the hospital gains access to real-time, granular air quality data, enabling informed decision-making and the implementation of targeted interventions to improve air quality conditions."
Tom Hall, Managing Director, EarthSense, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with University Hospitals Plymouth, a leading institution known for its dedication to healthcare excellence. By deploying our Zephyr® air quality monitors, we aim to empower the hospital with actionable insights to drive positive environmental change. This proactive approach to air quality management sets a compelling example for other medical institutions and contributes to the broader efforts in combating air pollution and its adverse effects on public health."
The deployment of EarthSense Zephyr® monitors and the MyAir® application is aligned with UHP’s Green Plan, which sets out to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in the UHP carbon footprint by 2025. As a whole, the NHS has set ambitious sustainability targets, recognising the need as an organisation to act responsibly, reduce climate impact and to ensure sustainable systems are in place going forward.
The EarthSense Zephyr® is a real-time air quality monitor that takes live measurements of ambient air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10). Measurements are sent back to the MyAir® web application, where air quality data can be viewed, analysed, and downloaded. Used in combination with the MappAir® air quality model, users can pull various insights about areas of interest, such as pollution hotspots, peak times, and identify nearby sources contributing to elevated levels.
About University Hospitals Plymouth: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, formerly known as Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust is the organisation which runs Derriford Hospital, and the co-located Royal Eye Infirmary, as well as the Child Development Centre in Plymouth, Devon. Find out more at: https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/