Excellence in Communicating and Using Data

Summary of work

The Greener NHS strategy raises an important question for industry and the healthcare system – how can we tackle the carbon footprint of respiratory care, without harming patients?

Much of the debate had focused on switching respiratory patients’ maintenance treatments on environmental grounds. AstraZeneca, Edelman and MHP Mischief sought to identify the real priority. The SABA Use IN Asthma (SABINA) study programme found that the majority of the inhaled carbon footprint comes not from maintenance but from the blue ‘reliever’ inhaler (SABA). It also found that most SABAs were prescribed to patients overusing this type of inhaler – at considerable risk to their health.

There was a clear need to demonstrate that improving respiratory outcomes was the best way to protect patients and the planet. We worked to disseminate this data with the clinical community at the British Thoracic Society winter meeting, and then via direct engagement with media and at the highest levels of the UK governments and health systems.

The data has helped inform evolving policy, with a focus now on SABA reduction both as a patient safety and an environmental priority – saving lives of asthma patients in the UK and those at risk from climate change around the world.

Judges' comments

This was a very impressive communications campaign that was really well put together. It has broad engagement, driving understanding and real change within the community, along with excellent, clear outcomes that really showed what was achieved, such as incentives, changes to policies and modifications to schemes.