NHS England issues level 1 heat-health watch alert for summer preparedness

NHS England issued a level 1 heat-health watch alert, headed "summer preparedness", at 6:24am on Wednesday 1 June 2022¹. The alert states that temperatures were not expected to reach heatwave threshold values until further notice¹.

The level 1 alert is the lowest in the heat-health watch system, which runs through the summer months. In its notice, NHS England said hot weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients, and pointed readers to NHS guidance on coping in hot weather¹. It also directed readers to the Met Office website for further detail on the weather alert¹. The notice was published and last updated on 1 June 2022¹.

The alert notice does not name specific regions, give temperature figures or set out a timetable beyond "until further notice"¹. No further detail on threshold values or on when the level might change has been reported in the notice¹.

Why it matters for households

The alert is a standing summer preparedness notice rather than a warning of imminent heat¹. NHS England's stated concern is that hot weather could increase health risks to vulnerable patients, which in practice covers older people, those with long-term health conditions and others who are more affected by heat¹. The notice gives no regional breakdown, so it does not identify which parts of England are more exposed at this stage¹. The levels used in the heat-health alert system, and what each one means for households, are set out in the guide to heat-health alerts: yellow, amber and red explained. Practical steps for the home during hot spells are collected in the hot weather preparation checklist, and the wider subject is covered in the heatwaves and drought hub.

NHS England's notice directs households to NHS hot weather guidance and to the Met Office for the weather alert itself¹. It gives no advice of its own beyond that signposting¹.

What happens next

The alert remains at level 1 until further notice, according to the notice¹. No date for a review or for a change in level has been reported¹. Households who want alert notifications directly can find the routes in the guide to signing up for heat-health alerts.