“Let’s work together to prevent deaths and injuries from the UK’s most common poison”
The charity Carbon Monoxide Awareness is inviting medical professionals to join a carbon monoxide awareness group and their bi-annual meetings to promote CO awareness. Healthcare professionals can act as campaign ambassadors amongst their colleagues and voluntarily increase awareness of the ‘silent killer’ with readily available on-line information which has been specifically compiled with them in mind.
Along with Founder of the National Carbon monoxide Awareness week & charity President Lynn Griffiths, NAPIT Director Dennis Denholm addressed the House of Lords on June 14th 2011, advocating the shared concerns of Lynn Griffiths and medical advisor Dr Ed Walker...
“The scientific community’s understanding of carbon monoxide toxicity has advanced tremendously over the past decade. Doctors and nurses also know about the subject but unfortunately it isn’t always at the forefront of their minds when dealing with early-stage victims. Carbon monoxide poisoning is not necessarily the first thing that a doctor or nurse will think of when presented with a classic case. We know from contact with surviving victims and bereaved relatives of people who have died from CO poisoning that all too often people receive poor advice, investigation and treatment after their encounter with carbon monoxide.”
“Carbon monoxide is unique among poisons. It is lethal and highly toxic even in small amounts, yet is commonly found in homes and workplaces all over the world. As a society we are probably less aware of its dangers than we were 50 years ago, and unless that changes people will continue to die or be severely disabled. Unless we do something to improve the overall state of awareness, cases of exposure to this common and potentially deadly poison will continue to be poorly managed, particularly in the initial stages, and the tragedy of avoidable illness and deaths will continue.”
Although inconsistent data collection probably provides a gross under-estimate, it’s believed that CO (as it’s released from the combustion of carbon-containing fuels such as gas, oil, paraffin, kerosene, petrol, diesel, coal, coke, paper and wood) accounts for around 50 avoidable deaths annually.
Carbon Monoxide Awareness is run completely by unpaid volunteers who welcome media support to help provide invaluable exposure for the cause which is spearheaded by Lynn Griffiths who, along with her family was poisoned by Carbon monoxide for over a decade. Get involved today by contacting Lynn Griffiths via email or by calling 07715 899296. Please visit www.covictim.org for further information.