Heat health warning includes 'likely rise in deaths' as temperatures soar in Hampshire

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office have warned of potential threats to life, particularly for those aged 65 and over as well as vulnerable people. The warning covers the south east.

The amber alert is in effect from 12pm today until 6pm on Tuesday, July 1, with highs of 29 degrees forecasted in Portsmouth.

The Met Office is forecasting highs of 23 degrees today, 25 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, with the highest temperature of 29 degrees expected on Monday.

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The health agency said: “Significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures.”

Those impacts include:

• a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 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 the 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)

Further details on the heat health alert can be found on the UKHSA website.

For an up to date weather forecast visit https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/