Recommendation 14

HM Government Rejected

Significant progress has been made since the evidence on which this report is based was provided, including synthesis of the evidence, the publication of guidance, and messaging on heat risks to the public. Given the substantial evidence of differential health risk from heat between different sub-populations, campaigns targeting the general public may be less effective than targeting specific sub-populations who are particularly vulnerable to heat risks to health. UKHSA currently works with a range of partners across national and local government to support communication of information on heat-related risks and appropriate prevention and protection measures for the general public. This has been a key focus of our work since the publication of the AWHP in April 2023, and beforehand and is a focus of all UKHSA national health protection work. Written and oral evidence provided by parties to the EAC may not have taken into account the publication of the AWHP and all of its related guidance since most of the materials were published in May and June 2023. Since the publication of the first edition of the AWHP in April 2023, UKHSA has updated most of its guidance and related materials on adverse heat, adverse cold and flooding – a total of 29 products (9 guidance documents, 5 action cards, 8 summary action cards, and 6 public advice materials). This includes a wholly new suite of guidance to help inform practitioners and the public on health risks linked to exposure to extreme heat, and appropriate measures to help reduce these risks. For the general public, this includes a wide range of materials such as a guidance document,4 a supporting checklist to help people keep cool at home,5 and a poster6 for display in public places that reinforces key public health messages. In March 2024, UKHSA will publish translations of its guidance materials for the public. The materials have been translated into eleven languages. British Sign Language versions have also been produced to improve accessibility. UKHSA has held regular webinars for AWHP partners and other stakeholders working at national, regional and local level, to promote awareness of health risks arising from adverse weather exposure, knowledge of guidance materials and understanding of key recommendations. The summer preparedness webinar in 2023, for example, was attended by over 650 stakeholders including strong representation from local authorities. Guidance materials are supported by regular communications activity through UKSHA and stakeholder channels during periods of hot weather, including cascading a comprehensive stakeholder toolkit to national, regional and local actors including local authorities. This toolkit includes links to the guidance and resources, key public health messages on heat, example news stories and broadcast interview toplines. It also includes a suite of social media assets with suggested messaging which have been informed by insight from the behavioural insights team and stakeholder feedback to ensure they resonate with those most affected by significant periods of heat. When a heat-health alert is issued, UKHSA publishes a news story which is updated in line with any changes to the alert and targets messages to those most vulnerable to high temperatures, their friends, neighbours and family members. UKHSA also know that the extent to which people perceive heat as a risk to their health varies significantly between population groups. This has been documented in published academic research7 that UKHSA has led, and ongoing behavioural analysis work8 that we are conducting to better understand risk perception between populations. UKHSA is working to understand variations in risk perception, so that public health messaging can be better tailored to promote accurate appraisal of health risks from heat, and support mobilisation to action among those most at risk. There is also extensive evidence to show that actual risks to health from heat exposure vary in important ways between population groups, as documented in the AWHP Supporting Evidence Document.9 UKHSA guidance for professionals therefore focuses on risk reduction for vulnerable groups10 during periods of hot weather. Nevertheless, UKHSA reiterates that it works closely with its partners in the Met Office, Cabinet Office, DHSC, NHS England, DLUHC, media partners and the other delivery groups described in the AWHP and the WHA Cascade to coordinate key public health messages being issued which include messages for staff – and the wider community – to look out for those who might be especially at risk from the effects of significant periods of heat on health and wellbeing.