Website of the Department of Health

Heatwave plan for England 2007

The recent publication of the Stern Report and the Fourth Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) indicate that climate change has already begun to have an impact and is predicted to become progressively worse over the coming years. Climate change means that heatwaves are likely to become more common in England.

The arrangements outlined here spell out what needs to be done by health and social care services and other bodies to raise awareness of risks relating to severe hot weather and what preparations both individuals and organisations should make to reduce those risks. The plan also spells out the responsibilities at national and local level for alerting people once a heatwave has been forecast, and advising them what to do during a heatwave.

This plan is a revision of last year’s and draws on the 2006 experience, an evaluation of the response, and recent evidence from the World Health Organization’s EuroHEAT project.

• Download Heatwave plan for England 2007 (PDF, 612K)