Northamptonshire given £250,000 to spend on ‘slankets’ to help reduce winter deaths
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE has been awarded £250,000 to spend on winter packs including “slankets” – sleeved blankets – as part of a wider campaign to help reduce the number of preventable cold weather deaths among the elderly and homeless.
atest figures showed that in 2010 there were 253 “excess” winter deaths in the county, deaths that health bosses believe might have been prevented.
This year the NHS, Age Concern UK and Northamptonshire County Council have been given a quarter-of-a-million pounds to identify and help those most at risk, including the elderly, people with long-term health conditions and the homeless, and help them to keep warm and out of hospitals.
Liam Condron, Age UK Northamptonshire’s chief officer, said: “Cold weather and fuel poverty can cause misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people, leading to distress and adding to the workload of healthcare providers.
“This Wrapped Up scheme enables local authorities to work alongside charitable and community organisations to help keep vulnerable older people well during winter and ease the strain on local NHS services.”
The scheme will see people urged to check on their elderly neighbours, who will be eligible for packs including thermometers and helpline numbers.
Some will even be eligible for slankets – fleece blankets with sleeves – to help combat chills during the daytime.
There are 48,000 people in Northamptonshire aged 75 or over and 632 people who are homeless or sleeping rough.
Around 13 per cent of county households are elderly people living on their own, with 11.5 per cent of households living in fuel poverty.
Professor Stephen Horseley, Northamptonshire’s director of public health, said: “It’s essential that we provide all the support we can to help ensure these people are kept safe and well.”
NHS tips to keep warm
Wear several layers of clothing rather than one thick layer
Use a hot water bottle or an electric blanket to warm the bed, although not together.
Don’t sit or stand still for long periods.
Have at least one room in the house at 21C during the day and a bedroom at 18CF at night to avoid hypothermia.
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Weather for Northampton
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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Comments
There are 18 comments to this article
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lady muck
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 07:20 AMFinker...yeas...I'll get some income, but have to live to 105 before I see a return on my capital ! The council own these homes for the long-term so it makes sense for them to spend on the panels, but I would like to see the revenue kept by the council...they could then spend it on building more homes for the deserving poor.
Finker
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 02:54 PMLadyM, there are still private companies that will pay you to install them on your home, they take the lion's share of the income but you will still get some. The option is open to you.
lady muck
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:59 PMAdams RANT....i'd be incandescent if I could afford the elecrtricity. Private householders would struggle to get the cost of £10, 000 and it would take 10 years to achieve payback. This is just in time for the installers who have just been dealt a crippling blow by the withdrawal of most of the Govt subsidy......I'm sure it's just a coincidence.
Adams RANT
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:45 AMOne just to keep the likes of ‘The Count’ and ‘Lady Muck’ spiting venom, letters have just gone out to the effect, Northampton Borough Council is working with E.ON to provide selected tenants with Solar Energy Panels, through the Community Energy Saving Programme. Your home has been selected as one of the likely recipients of the panels, which will be installed for free. Of you go Count…
saffronlizzie
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:56 PMI probably will, but will they ?
lady muck
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:11 PMsffronlizzie...come on luv...take the hem up.....
saffronlizzie
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 05:16 PMGreat that they're giving the money . . . but beware - these slankets are usually very very long and yes the old and vulnerable will be cosy and warm but in danger of tripping and getting injured through falling over. I have one and being only 5;2" find it impossible to move around in it!
mojo
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:37 PMIf it was possible to cut the benefits of those who either don't deserve them or are fraudulently claiming them then these old people could have free heating, but until then they are condemned to suffer.
TheCount
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:32 AMThe BoE is about to print another 50 Billion quid that the government will then borrow to keep spending. This will cause inflation, hitting everyone hard in the pocket but keeping the banking system afloat. These blankets are costing more than most people imagine. We need a bout of deflation leading to cheaper fuel prices so the old people can actually afford to heat their houses !!!
willi eckaslyke
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:25 AMWell, that's the excess winter death rate calculation sorted....now, what's to be done to stop them?...Ah, that's not our department
Adams RANT
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:10 AMLady Muck 5 Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths which occurred in winter (December to March), and the average number of deaths during the preceding and subsequent four month periods (August to November and April to July).
jimorourke
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:10 AMGood to know help is being given to help people keep warm. I use a woolen blanket to keep warm with as I have long term chronic health problems. Heating bills are astronomical these days.
lady muck
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:03 AMSteveWonder...bit soon to link this with the Coalition...they haven't cancelled the winter fuel payment !l
lady muck
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:02 AMHow have the 'excess' deaths been calculated ? Is it by examination of all death certificates or is it a simple calculation of the variable death rate in winter months ? Exactly what is defined as 'winter' ?
SteveWonder
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:06 AMhowever a proper social care programme would make this obscenity what it should be............. a bad memory from the dark distant days of the coalition
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