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Northampton: Air quality warning at hospital's maternity unit

BBC Dr Scott Mabbutt and Danielle Stone on Cheyne Walk in front of Northampton Hospital's maternity unitBBC
Dr Scott Mabbutt (left) and Labour's Danielle Stone have warned about high pollution levels on Cheyne Walk close to Northampton Hospital's maternity unit

Pollution levels near a town's maternity unit are regularly exceeding safe limits, campaigners have warned.

Dr Scott Mabbutt, an obstetrics registrar at Northampton Hospital, warned of a link between high pollution levels and miscarriage and stillbirth.

West Northamptonshire Council said roads nearest the hospital had "persistently recorded levels within legal limits".

The hospital said it was always looking at ways to be a "greener organisation".

The Conservative council's own data shows nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in Cheyne Walk, the area closest to the Barratt Birth Centre, have been very close to government proscribed limits in recent years.

Google Northampton General HospitalGoogle
Northampton Hospital said it monitors air quality within its grounds

In the early months of 2021 these levels have been exceeded, though the authority said this is because only raw data is currently available.

Recorded levels are usually adjusted downwards after Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) monitoring is completed.

Dr Mabbutt, who is also a Green Party member, said Cheyne Walk was "completely gridlocked" during weekday rush hour.

He said miscarriage, pre-term birth and stillbirth were linked to poor air quality often associated with areas of deprivation, and that high pollution levels around the hospital only added to the problem.

He also voiced concern that the situation had been made worse by extensive roadworks at Cliftonville Road, near the hospital, which are set to continue until December.

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Nitrogen dioxide levels near the maternity level

  • The government has set a maximum annual average of 40 micrograms of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in each cubic metre of air (40μg/m3)
  • West Northamptonshire Council's monitoring unit in Cheyne Walk, less than 100m (328ft) from the maternity unit, recorded average levels of 37.5μg/m3 in 2018 and 38.6μg/m3 in 2019, but that figure fell to 30.7μg/m3 last year
  • The council's raw data up to May 2021 shows levels regularly exceeding 40μg/m3, with readings of 44.6 in January, 40.8 in February and 44 in April. However, in May the figure fell to 26.4
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Opposition Labour Party councillor Danielle Stone compared the situation to "what happened with coal mines and heavy industry".

"When I realised it had a direct impact on the maternity unit I couldn't believe people didn't take it seriously.

"The thought of new lungs in an area of high pollution is unbelievable."

The council said air quality "in the vicinity of the hospital is of concern," but added the monitoring unit at Cheyne Walk "has persistently recorded levels within legal limits".

The authority said monitoring units are positioned at the roadside "where concentrations are at their highest" and pollution levels "fall to background levels" within 50 metres (164ft).

The hospital's energy and sustainability manager, Claire Topping, acknowledged concerns about air quality close to the maternity unit.

She said readings carried out there fell within the legal limits, but added the hospital is "always looking at how we can improve air quality".

"We want to reassure families we will continue to monitor these levels and work with West Northamptonshire Council to try and reduce traffic on our hospital site and surrounding areas," she added.

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