Writing to local primary school heads seeking information on asthma

 I wrote to Headteachers at Barley Lane, Eastcourt, Chadwell & Goodmayes earlier today to seek information on Asthma and encouraged the schools to seek consultee status. 

Dear Headteachers

I recently got the attached freedom of information reply from Redbridge Council to say:

"The emergency hospital admissions for under 19 in Redbridge for 2018/19 was 232.5 per 100,000 population (Approximately 190 children). This is significantly worse compared to the England average."

Another request received from BHRUT suggests a link between an increased probability of living by a road and attending an A&E for asthma see https://stopthetescotoxictowers.blogspot.com/2020/09/bhrut-asthma-statistics-confirms-living.html

The Redbridge FoI also says:

"Yes confidentiality is a serious concern here and even as a matter of public interest, it is not a matter of life and death. Also, not every child that has asthma has an asthma care plan. I think a better way of approaching this is by looking at the air quality around schools near roads in the borough. I think there is already some work underway about this. "

When I asked for

"How many children had asthma care plans for the academic year 2019/20 and the names of the schools they attended. Confidentiality may be an issue here, but it is the public interest to know if schools which were close to roads had disproportionately higher numbers of care plans"

& when I asked for "The numbers of children with asthma inhalers at Redbridge primary schools on a school by school basis. The purpose being to find if the schools closest to roads had higher asthma rates." Redbridge said "You will need to contact schools individually and also parental consent may be required"

Child safety is paramount and must go before confidentiality and so I request the following information under the freedom of information act.

1) The numbers of children at your school with asthma inhalers

2) The numbers of children with asthma care plans

.

While I do not wish to see any of the 3 local developments at Tescos, Homebase and Seven Kings Park passed there is a real possibility that they will happen. Should they do so, they will significant HGV traffic and dust on a daily basis. The developers will claim that dust is not an issue, but it seems best to monitor the impact on child health nonetheless.

The statistics I seek may influence the route of the HGV traffic. The school with the most or worst cases of asthma would appear to have the strongest argument for having any lorries routed away from the school during the construction period, which is likely to take four years if the plans are passed.

Should construction start, it must be right to monitor if the numbers of children with asthma inhalers start to increase. If asthma increases at a particular school/s it will be grounds for arguing the school/s should be spared HGV traffic and/or dust management should be improved.

Tesco have recently lodged new plans, which means a new consultation. I encourage your school to seek non-statutory consultee status. This increases the prospects of any comments you might wish to make to Redbridge being listed to.

I write in a personal capacity, rather than on behalf of the campaign.

Regards

Andy Walker