Abstract
Background
Exposure to poor air quality is one of the most significant environmental public health challenges. In England, local authorities are responsible for monitoring and managing air quality. This article explores the need and mechanisms for cross-departmental working in local authorities to make decisions about air quality issues.
Methods
Semi-structured qualitative interviews with public health, environmental health and transport staff from Local Authorities (LAs) within the Southwest of England. Interviews were conducted between April and August 2021 and analysed using a thematic approach.
Results
24 staff from 7 LAs participated. Local authority staff in public health, environmental health and transport teams recognised that managing air quality was a cross-departmental issue. To enable effective integrated working staff described four successful mechanisms: (1) Policy commitments and political support; (2) Dedicated air quality steering groups; (3) Existing governance and oversight groups; (4) Networking and relationships.
Conclusions
This study has identified mechanisms that LA staff have found support cross-departmental and integrated working on air quality issues. These are mechanisms that have helped environmental health staff work towards achieving compliance with pollution limits, and that have helped public health staff get air quality considerations recognised as a wider health issue.
Exposure to poor air quality is one of the most significant environmental public health challenges. In England, local authorities are responsible for monitoring and managing air quality. This article explores the need and mechanisms for cross-departmental working in local authorities to make decisions about air quality issues.
Methods
Semi-structured qualitative interviews with public health, environmental health and transport staff from Local Authorities (LAs) within the Southwest of England. Interviews were conducted between April and August 2021 and analysed using a thematic approach.
Results
24 staff from 7 LAs participated. Local authority staff in public health, environmental health and transport teams recognised that managing air quality was a cross-departmental issue. To enable effective integrated working staff described four successful mechanisms: (1) Policy commitments and political support; (2) Dedicated air quality steering groups; (3) Existing governance and oversight groups; (4) Networking and relationships.
Conclusions
This study has identified mechanisms that LA staff have found support cross-departmental and integrated working on air quality issues. These are mechanisms that have helped environmental health staff work towards achieving compliance with pollution limits, and that have helped public health staff get air quality considerations recognised as a wider health issue.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | fdad036 |
| Pages (from-to) | 654-662 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Public Health (United Kingdom) |
| Volume | 45 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 5 May 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Sept 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC West). The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health.
