Heat-Health Alert (September 2023): resources for pharmacies
UPDATE: 10th-12th September
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have updated the heat-health alerts across the following regions:
- East of England, London, and the South East: The amber alert (enhanced hot weather response) remains in place until 9am on 12th September.
- Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, and the South West: A yellow alert (hot weather response) is in place until 9am on 12th September.
5th-10th September
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber alert for all of England except for the North East, which was placed under a yellow alert.
The amber alert indicates that the impact of the heat is expected to be felt by the wider population and will have an impact on the entire health service. On the other hand, the yellow alert suggests an increased risk for vulnerable populations, specifically individuals aged 65 and above or those with pre-existing health conditions.
These alerts were in effect starting today, 5th September at 12:00 until 21:00 on Sunday, 10th September.
The public may turn to community pharmacy teams for advice on staying well or for assistance if they are feeling unwell. We have developed an infographic that pharmacy owners may wish to use.
The infographic could be displayed in your pharmacy or shared online as a way to help communicate messages from the Government’s Adverse Weather and Health Plan and the UKHSA’s updated guidance on staying safe in hot weather.
Resources
Infographic: Staying well in hot weather (PDF version)
Social media tiles: (click to enlarge, right-click to save image)
