UK weather: Amber heat health alerts issued for England - what the alerts mean and how to stay cool

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber heat health alerts for the whole of England.

The alerts come as the Met Office is forecasting temperatures of 30°C for some parts of the country for the next few days.

The amber heat alert will be in effect from June 19 to 12pm on June 23.

The alert reads: “Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including: a rise in deaths, particularly among those ages 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 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).”

What is the Heat-health Alert Service?

The Heat-health Alert Service, provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), in partnership with the Met Office, aims to forewarn periods of high temperatures, which may affect the health of the public. It is designed to help healthcare professionals manage through periods of extreme temperature.

What does an amber heat health alert mean?

The Met Office says: “An amber alert would represent a situation in which the expected impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, with potential for the whole population to be at risk and where other sectors apart from health may also start to observe impacts, indicating that a coordinated response is required.”

What can I do to stay cool and safe in hot weather?

The UKHSA advises doing the following to keep cool when the weather is warm:

• keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
• if you are going to do a physical activity (for example exercise or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler such as the morning or evening
• keep your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
• if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, seek shade and apply sunscreen
• drink plenty of fluids and limit your alcohol intake
• check on family, friends and neighbours who may be at higher risk of becoming unwell, and if you are at higher risk, ask them to do the same for you
• know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and Heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Heat exhaustion occurs when the body overheats and cannot cool down. Heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical attention if you cool down within 30 minutes. If you do not take action to cool down, heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke.

Common symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

• tiredness
• weakness
• feeling faint
• headache
• muscle cramps
• feeling or being sick
• heavy sweating
• intense thirst

Heatstroke is where the body is no longer able to cool down and the body temperature becomes dangerously high.

Common symptoms of heatstroke include:

• confusion
• lack of co-ordination
• fast heartbeat
• fast breathing or shortness of breath
• hot skin that is not sweating
• seizures

Heatstroke is a medical emergency. If you think someone has heatstroke you should dial 999 and then try to cool them down.