Dr. Claire Gilbert 
May 2023
I did a placement with the Improving Population Health Programme as part of my training to become a Consultant in Public Health for 9 months until July 2022. I led on the housing and health chapter of the Children’s Needs Assessment, to inform priorities for the Children and Young People’s Programme. I also wrote a chapter on the impact of poor quality housing and fuel poverty for the adversity, trauma and resilience digital hub.
This led onto a piece of work to consider the impact of poor indoor air quality on children’s health. Following extensive stakeholder engagement, the Partnership made a commitment that no child or young person in West Yorkshire should suffer severe or uncontrolled asthma symptoms due to fuel poverty or poor housing conditions. They also agreed to work collaboratively between healthcare, affordable warmth and housing services to achieve our ambition to address the health inequality gap for children living in households with the lowest incomes with respect to children and young people with asthma. This has led on to various changes, such as inclusion of questions about poor indoor air quality on GP templates, and plans for pilots to use some of the Winter Warmth funding to help children in cold, damp homes with asthma.
As part of this work I worked with colleagues to create resources for families and professions on the West Yorkshire Healthier Together website on indoor air quality and asthma triggers, keeping your home warm, damp and mould, and housing to support families and healthcare professionals know what advice to give and what services are available locally. These pages have been very well received and are being used and adapted by other areas.