According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, air pollution contributes to over 6 million deaths annually. A growing body of research links it to the exacerbation of chronic and acute diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cognitive decline.

Recognizing air pollution as a healthcare emergency, Newcastle NHS Foundation Trust has committed to a Climate Emergency Strategy, with Clean Air as a key goal alongside Zero Carbon Care and Zero Waste by 2025. To achieve this, the Trust is implementing the Clean Air Hospital Framework (CAHF), aiming for Excellent status by the end of the 2025 financial year. The CAHF is a self-directed air quality improvement initiative with 215 targeted actions across seven key policy areas under hospital influence: Travel, Procurement, Construction, Energy, Local Air Quality, Outreach & Leadership, and Communication & Training.

In this webinar, Babatunde Okeowo will walk you through the CAHF framework and its implementation methodology, progress, and key learning at the Trust. He will also share ongoing data from indoor and ambient air quality monitoring and modelling at Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) and Freeman Hospital, illustrating how these interventions support the Trust’s Clean Air Goal.

Our speaker

Babatunde Okeowo (Tunde) is a third-year PhD student at Northumbria University, researching sustainable approaches to improve air quality and reduce emissions in hospitals. He is a student within the ReNU Centre for Doctoral Training. His research leverages collaborations with the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital in Northeast England, providing unique insights into indoor and ambient air quality within major modern hospitals.

Tunde actively engages in policy discussions, contributing to platforms such as the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand (CASANZ). He collaborates with the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust Sustainability Team to organise an annual lunch hour webinar on UK Clean Air Day, raising awareness about the role of healthcare in air quality improvement.

With a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Electrical Engineering and a Master's with distinction in Safety, Health, and Environmental Management, Tunde brings nearly two decades of industry experience and research to his academic pursuits. Driven by a passion for real-world societal impact and environmental resilience, his research interests also encompass risk and disaster resilience management. He is a member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) and the Institution of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH).