I am requesting information from the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board on the following:
1. Does the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board have a strategy in place to address the health consequences of cold homes, as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes (NG6)?
No, as strategy on particular issues in the responsibilities of constituent organisations (specifically local authority districts in this case) and not the board itself. However the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy does identify as a priority to ‘improve housing conditions, reduce homelessness and increase supply of appropriate, high-quality housing . Further information can be seen online at: Health and wellbeing strategy
2. Has the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board commissioned a single-point-of-contact health and housing referral service to help vulnerable people who live in cold homes, as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes (NG6)?
No, as the Health and Wellbeing Board is not a commissioning board.
3. Does the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board have procedures or policies in place to ensure primary health and home care practitioners assess the heating needs of people who use their services at least once a year, as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes (NG6)?
4. Does the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board record or audit compliance with the recommendation referenced in question 3 among primary health and home care practitioners?
5. Does the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board have procedures or policies in place to ensure that, when a patient is discharged from a health or social care setting, an assessment is carried out into whether they are likely to be vulnerable to the cold and if action is needed to make their home warm enough for them to return to, as recommended by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes (NG6)?
6. Does the Devon County Council Health and Wellbeing Board record or audit compliance with the recommendation referenced in question 5?
In response to questions 3-6, Devon County Council does not hold this information. This is the responsibility of district, city or unitary authorities and we would recommend that you contact these authorities for further information. Contact details can be found on our website at: Neighbouring authorities