Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Virendra Sharma (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 June 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 June 2015. It was answered by Jane Ellison (Conservative) on Tuesday, 9 June 2015 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Health Services: Temperature

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what contingency plans his Department has to respond to a (a) heatwave and (b) cold snap in (i) London North West Healthcare NHS Trust area and (ii) the NHS England area.

Answer

The annual Heatwave and Cold Weather Plans for England are co-ordinated by Public Health England on behalf of the health and social care system. NHS England, the Local Government Association and other stakeholders support the development and dissemination of the Plans, which are underpinned by dedicated Meteorological Office alerts. These Plans form a central part of the Department’s support in raising both public and professional awareness of the health impacts of severe heat and cold weather. A copy of each Plan has been attached.

In May and October each year respectively, the Heatwave and Cold Weather Plans are sent to all providers and commissioners of health and social care in England, with a covering letter setting out a series of recommended steps to be taken throughout the year, to reduce the harm to health from hot and cold weather. The Plans are also supported by a number of additional guides and leaflets.

In terms of the London North West Healthcare NHS Trust area, each organisation receives the Heatwave and Cold Weather Plans and covering letters, and local plans are set in place for the regional response by NHS England (London). These are incorporated into a trust/provider-specific plan to respond in the event of any severe weather and are linked to local borough response plans.

These local National Health Service plans are assured and updated every year as part of the wider NHS Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response assurance process, and trusts and partner organisations are encouraged to test and exercise these plans regularly. The London North West Healthcare NHS Trust took part in a North West London-wide heatwave exercise in April 2015, which tested the whole system response to a heatwave.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
732
Session
2015-16
Attachment
Cold Weather Plan for England 2014; Heatwave Plan for England May 2015
Subjects
Health services Temperature
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk