Heatwave

Although warm weather is usually thought of as a good thing, severe hot weather can have negative health effects. A heatwave can affect anyone, but those most at risk from hot weather health harms include:

Older people (people aged 65 and over)
Those who struggle to keep cool, including but not limited to babies, the very young and the bed bound
Pregnant people
People who have serious or long-term illnesses
People who spend a lot of time outdoors or in hot places, such as those who live in top floor flats or have jobs outside

Advice for coping in hot weather

Advice for being safe in the heat includes:

Try to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, when the UV rays are the strongest
Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler and remember it may be cooler outdoors than indoors
If you have to go out in the heat, wear UV sunglasses to reduce UV exposure to the eyes, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen regularly of at least SPF30 with UVA protection, wear a wide brimmed hat and light loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should minimise the risk of sunburn
Drink plenty of fluids and when travelling ensure you take water with you. Look out for others especially those particularly vulnerable to the heat such as older people, young children and babies and those with serious illnesses
Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals
If medicines are sensitive to temperature, try keeping them in the fridge
Avoid physical exertion on very hot days, and during the hottest parts of the day
If you are going into open water to cool down, take care and follow local safety advice
Utilise Cool Spaces London for places of refuge when temperatures are excessively high
Take early action – seek advice from your local pharmacy if you have a long-term health condition and are starting to feel unwell before it gets more serious
If you are concerned about an adult, contact the Adult Social Care team

Adverse Weather and Health Plan

The Adverse Weather and Health Plan aims to protect individuals and communities from the health effects of adverse weather and to build community resilience.

The plan offers advice that can help prepare for, alert people to, and prevent the major avoidable effects on health during periods of severe heat in England. It also has guidance leaflets on staying safe in hot weather and keeping cool at home and other settings such as early years or care homes.

Local agencies have a duty to alert and respond to heatwaves and are required to register for the Heat-Health Alert service so they can receive alerts and advice to keep the public informed and safe. There are different required actions at according to the alert level. This information is set out in the hot weather and health: action cards.

Further advice

For more information:

Follow the Met Office alerts alerts, so you are prepared for when the heat strikes.
Check with NHS for signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke
Follow NHS summer health advice
Met Office Health and Wellbeing pages offer useful information on how to cope with extremely hot weather, hay fever, pollen, UV lighting and many more

For the vulnerable: