Help us to help you by staying safe in the heat
People in Buckinghamshire are being urged to take care and follow NHS advice as hot temperatures continue across the UK and COVID levels continue to rise placing significant pressures on our health services.
Taking simple precautions in the hot weather can help prevent people becoming ill from dehydration, overheating, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. If people do become unwell, they are being asked to contact NHS 111 in the first instance for advice on the best place for them to receive treatment. This could be with a local pharmacist, GP or the Urgent Treatment Centre at Wycombe Hospital.
In the hot weather, people are being advised to:
- Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol
- Stay cool indoors
- If you need to go out try to keep out of direct sun and avoid doing any strenuous activities, especially between 11am and 3pm
- Look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated – older people, those with underlying health conditions and those who live alone are particularly at risk
- Never leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle, especially infants, young children or animals
Raghuv Bhasin, Chief Operating Officer at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We have seen more people coming to our busy A&E for heat-related issues. Taking a few simple steps can make a big difference to your health and wellbeing in this hot weather, as well as help you avoid preventable trips to hospital. This is particularly important given the challenges we face in our hospital as a result of the high current levels of COVID.”
Zahir Mohammed, Buckinghamshire Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Public Health said: “We are not trying to alarm people by giving these warnings, it is just about taking sensible precautions to stay safe in what is quite an unusual and prolonged period of hot weather. People should definitely enjoy the sunshine if they wish but just be aware, we are not used to such high temperatures and the effects they can have on even the healthiest of people so just remember to take the advised precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe.”
More information about staying well in hot weather is available on the NHS website.