The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an AMBER Cold-Health Alert (CHA) in three regions of England, and the North West is one of the affected areas.
The alert is currently in place from 6pm on Tuesday 28 November to midday on Tuesday 5 December. The Met Office has forecast average temperatures around or less than 2°C during the time of the alert in areas under amber alert, with wintry showers, icy conditions, and some snow.
Under the new CHA system introduced by UKHSA and the Met Office, an amber alert means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk and where other sectors may also start to observe impacts, indicating a coordinated response is required. This means that significant impacts are probable across the health and social care sector in our region due to the forecasted weather conditions.
Please see the sources of information and guidance below which you may find useful.
Cold-Health Alert (CHA) Action Card for the voluntary and community sector
The Cold-Health Alert (CHA) Action Card summarises the suggested actions that voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations should consider to prepare for and respond to each CHA type.
The VCS covers a wide variety of organisations ranging from broad-based providers, emergency response organisations and campaigning organisations through to representative groups, community centres, parish councils and neighbourhood forums among many others.
It includes organisations focusing on:
- particular conditions
- particular types of service provision
- specific client groups or communities
Actions outlined in this card include those to consider:
- all year round to support winter preparedness
- for pre-winter readiness and winter preparedness
- for a yellow alert
- for an amber alert
- for a red alert
Find out more: The Cold-Health Alert (CHA) Action Card
Register to receive alerts directly
You can register to receive Cold Health Alerts (CHA) directly from the Weather-Health Alerting system here: Weather-Health Alerting System Registration Form
GM Retrofit Portal
Thousands of homes are now eligible for retrofitting grants, particularly homes owned by people who are:
- Aged 65 and above
- Who can’t always afford to heat their home
- From an ethnic minority background
- A disabled person
- Non-native English speaker
- Not having access to the internet
And properties that are:
- A listed building
- In a conservation area
- Subject to increased planning restrictions
- Is a terraced house
- A flat
- Off the mains gas grid
- Poorly-performing e.g. EPC rating F or G
- Could be generally considered as ‘hard-to-treat’ e.g. limited access, multiple extensions, general non-standard construction etc.
Further information is set be released soon, in the meantime more detail can be found here: gmca.retrofitportal.org.uk/home
Further sources of advice and information:
- User guide to use the impact based Weather Health Alerts
- Cold weather and health: guidance and advice
- UKHSA Adverse Weather and Health Plan and supporting evidence
- Cold weather and Health: supporting vulnerable people
- Find the latest weather forecasts and warnings from the Met Office
- Met Office National Severe Weather Warning Service
- Flood Alerts and Warnings
All organisations, but especially those providing health and social care should be aware of the advice and guidance set out in the Adverse Weather and Health Plan, as to the actions necessary before and during a Cold-Health Alert Period.