The Seasonal Winter Health Strategic Partnership was formed in February 2015 to set the strategic direction of winter health work across North Yorkshire. The partnership aims to reduce the impact of seasonal climate change on the health of the population, reducing fuel poverty and preventing avoidable ill-health through a winter health strategy that ran from 2015-2020.
A new 2021-25 seasonal health strategy sets out our ambitions to improve the health and wellbeing of North Yorkshire residents during cold and hot weather, with a particular focus on reducing excess winter deaths. Cold weather can have a significant impact on people’s health and this is largely preventable. In winter we see an increase in illness and deaths caused by cold weather such as heart attacks and respiratory conditions, in addition to other in-direct effects such as poorer mental health.
The strategy also acknowledges the impact that hot weather has on health and wellbeing. In hot weather we see an increase in heart and respiratory related conditions. As increases in the frequency and intensity of hot weather are predicted, promoting messages on how to stay safe and keep cool, including how to keep your home cool is an important priority for the partnership.
There are five key objectives:
1. Improve cold homes and energy efficiency, and identify people at risk 2. Increase uptake of flu vaccination
3. Ensure support for fuel poverty and cold homes is integrated into NHS winter planning, clinical pathways and covid recovery
4. To increase awareness of cold homes and fuel poverty, focussing on health inequalities
5. To raise awareness of health risks associated with heat waves and actions which can be taken to reduce morbidity and mortality
The strategic partnership reports to the North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing board. It includes representatives of Public Health, Stronger Communities, Targeted Prevention, Performance and Intelligence and Policy and Partnerships teams, and the Emergency Planning Unit at North Yorkshire County Council. Representatives from District and Borough councils, Clinical Commissioning Groups, National Energy Action, Community First Yorkshire, Healthwatch North Yorkshire, and the 'blue light' services, also contribute to the partnership on a regular basis. These partnerships ensure wider influence and more coordinated action.
The partnership is supported by the warm and well service which offers practical solutions to reduce fuel poverty and to help people and communities to stay warm and well in winter. The service can support with issues such as energy advice, securing cheaper tariffs, energy top up vouchers, debt write off, emergency heating, warm home discount applications and signposting to energy efficiency measures including new heating systems. This has saved customers over £75,000 during 2020/21 as well as reducing the risk of ill health linked to living in a cold home. The warm and well service also supports the partnership to bring in additional funding and provides training to organisations working in North Yorkshire.
For more information visit www.warmandwell.org.uk which includes an online referral form.
