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Summer Heat Alerts 2025
Although we will continue to send out hot weather alerts using this newsletter and our newsflashes, readers can sign up to receive NHS alerts directly from Heat-Health Alerting system – GOV.UK This is part of the wider Weather Health Alert System user guidance and from the Met Office using this registration form (link to registration form.
Advice
The current Amber Heat Alert means that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including:
- a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups
- likely increased demand on all health and social care services
- internal temperatures in care settings (hospitals and care homes) may exceed the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment
- the heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services
- indoor environments overheating increasing the risk to vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings
- issues managing medicines
- staffing issues due to external factors (for example, affecting transport)
- increased demand for power exceeding capacity
- other sectors starting to observe impacts (for example, travel delays)
You can see all the weather health alerts currently in place across England on the UKHSA data dashboard.
Resources
The Heat Health Preparedness website useful resources including:
- Heat action cards for ASC providers
- Care homes
- Community
- Heat action card for ASC commissioners
- Heat action card for VCSE
- Heat action care for health settings
- UKHSA adverse weather plan
- UKHA hot weather communications toolkit
- Heat checklists e.g. Beat the heat: keep cool at home checklist – GOV.UK
Training
Hot weather eLearning is also available for frontline staff from the NHS Learning Hub – eLearning training link
Winter Plan 2024-2025
The Devon ASC Winter Plan 2024 – 2025 [LP1] builds on the partnership approach supported by the Provider Engagement Network to work together in achieving the full potential of capacity whilst supporting resilience over the winter period.
Continuing commitment to prevent and control acute respiratory Infections (ARI) with an increased emphasis on flu prevention in care homes and other settings while promoting the quality of life for people we service.
Additionally, the Provider Checklist[LP2] serves as a practical guide, ensuring providers adhere to these standards to maintain quality care and safety. This initiative is integral to sustaining high-quality care and supporting the wellbeing of both service users and staff in care settings.
Other useful links:
Business continuity planning templates and guidance
As part of organisational resilience, it is vital for providers to have a robust and up to date business continuity plan (BCP) that support them to manage risk effectively at a point of crisis.
The Care Provider Alliance has developed business continuity planning guidance along with a standard template for social care which can be found here: Business continuity planning and guidance and template
The guidance also includes additional information on planning for power outages, data breaches and cyber-attacks.
If you would like the Quality and Contract Team to review your business continuity plans or to offer any support, please email qualitycontract@devon.gov.uk please note support will be subject to capacity and priority. When sending your BCP please state the reason that you are requesting the review.
Care homes and other residential care settings Winter Readiness Toolkit
UKHSA Infection Prevention and Control toolkit is designed to help managers and staff in care homes and other residential care settings with planning and preparation for infections and outbreaks (that are often particularly frequent during the winter season), and in outbreak recognition and management.
Business support
You can contact the government’s Business Support Helpline for free advice. See GOV.UK – Get help and support for your business to find out more about the helpline as well as other schemes to support you.
Advice from ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)
Work and employment law advice | Acas