Take weather seriously, say health experts, who are ‘keeping cool and carrying on’
HEALTH officials have given strong warnings and urgent advice as the unprecedented heatwave hits Derby and Derbyshire.
This extreme heat, which could surpass 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the country, is expected to cause serious illness and danger to life among the vulnerable and healthy.
Dr Magnus Harrison, interim chief executive at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re good as a society in not taking risks during extreme winter weather events, so we need to take this as seriously.
“So if you are planning a journey or an activity that will see you spend time outdoors I’d ask you in the strongest sense possible to consider whether this could be delayed a day or two. Our hospitals will be there for those that need them but they won’t be places you will want to spend any amount of time in. Please consider seriously what you do during these alert days.”
David Williams, deputy director of operations at East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “We need each and every person to take this heat warning seriously and to do everything they can to stay well to prevent additional pressure on the NHS. We continue to experience immense pressure on our ambulance service and our staff are working phenomenally hard to the sickest and most severely injured patients.
“Calling 999 for medical help should be a last resort, after you have tried self-care, your local pharmacy, your GP, NHS 111 online and your local urgent treatment centre. If you do need to call 999 for medical help, you will go through several stages of assessment which may include a call back from one of our control room paramedics or nurses to ensure we are prioritising the patients who need our help first.
“Patients experiencing less serious illnesses or injuries may experience an extended wait for an ambulance, so if you are asked by our 999-control room if you can make your own way to hospital, please do so – either via taxi or asking a friend or family member to drive you. This allows us to continue to respond to patients who need our ambulances with highly skilled clinicians and life-saving equipment on board to provide ongoing treatment on the way to hospital.”
Dr Hal Spencer, chief executive of Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I’m proud to say that colleagues across the Trust are continuing, as always, to go above and beyond, but this is especially appreciated in this heat.
“We have responded proactively to this forecasted weather, acting to minimise effects on patients, visitors and colleagues. We have packed scrub uniforms for all clinical colleagues to wear instead of the traditional uniform as these are often more comfortable in hot temperatures; we have distributed fans and temporary air conditioning units across the Trust and are putting additional cooling systems in place to protect the equipment needed. We also have specialist refrigeration engineers on site to react to any issues and have brought in additional industrial cooling units as emergency backup for key operational areas.
“Our goal is to keep cool and carry on. I’d kindly ask for everybody’s support. People can help by taking care in the hot weather and following the advice and guidance. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for working around the clock to care for patients – recognising this is for hospital colleagues but also for primary care and community colleagues too. We appreciate all that the whole system is doing to provide appointments and support each other.
“Local people can help by using the most appropriate service for them. People should not be calling 999 or attending emergency departments unless their condition is really an emergency, otherwise it will mean very long waits and may result in delays for seriously ill people. We have five urgent treatment centres across Derbyshire where you’ll be seen on the day for conditions such as fractures, minor burns or sprains. If you’re struggling with your mental health you can call the 24/7 Derbyshire support service any time on: 0800 0280077.
“For more advice and guidance, just call NHS111 who can direct you to the most appropriate service.”
The NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board has issued a wide range of advice on heatstroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, sunburn and looking after children and vulnerable people during a heatwave.
It and other health officials have made clear that residents and visitors should drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and stay in the shade or a cooler part of the home. They advise: “Many people enjoy hot weather but there can be serious health consequences from too much heat and vulnerable groups are particularly at-risk in prolonged hot spells, preparing ahead will keep you and anyone you care for safe in the sun.
“Heat exhaustion is not usually serious if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency. Dehydration occurs when the body loses too much water and other fluids that it needs to work normally, if left untreated, it can get worse and become a serious problem.
“For those in high-risk groups, support from friends, family and neighbours may be critical for their safety. Simply checking in on your neighbours could make a big difference to their wellbeing and could help save lives.”
Key public health messages, in brief, are to stay out of the heat – especially between 11am and 3pm, to cool yourself down and keep your environment cool. This includes walking in the shade, wearing sun cream, wearing a hat – if going outside – avoiding extreme physical exertion, wearing loose-fitting clothes, having plenty of cold drinks and cold foods – with fruit and salads recommended. For more advice visit joinedupcarederbyshire.co.uk