Enjoy the warm weather safely | News centre

For many people seeing the sun shining is a welcome reminder that summer is here, but it’s important to remember that sustained periods of high temperatures do bring health risks.

Older people, those with certain medical conditions and babies and young children need to take extra care.

There are some very simple steps people can take to stay as cool as possible, safe and well in warmer weather:

• Stay as cool as possible by keeping out of the sun and wearing light clothing. If you do need to go outside, try to avoid the hottest part of the day (usually 11am-3pm)
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other drinks, avoiding alcohol
• Stay protected by wearing UV sunglasses and a hat – and apply sunscreen with a high SPF rating and UVA protection and walk in the shade if you can
• Check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbours as they will be at greater risk from the heat – and take extra care with babies and young children, who are also more vulnerable to becoming unwell in the hot weather.

If people do feel unwell in the hot weather the local NHS is here for them – and there are a range of services available to help including:

• Pharmacies - a good place to start for health advice and over-the-counter medicines
• GP practices can also help if you need advice or think you may need to see a doctor
• NHS 111 online at    www.111.nhs.uk helps link you up with the service you need (for children under 5 years please call 111 instead) – and NHS 111 by phone 24/7 where a health advisor can help you get the care you need in the right place
• Walk-in centres and urgent treatment centres can also help – see www.nhs.uk for details
• Remember 999 and A&E are for critically ill people so always call or go to A&E straight away if it is a life-threatening situation.

There’s lots more information online to help you stay safe during hot weather. Visit the UK Health Security Agency and NHS websites including their pages on  how to beat the heat and on  heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

The role of Heat-Health Alerts