a local GP in the Dales area, tadea have helped with two key initiatives: Hotspots and Energy on Prescription.
Hotspots
The Hotspots initiative has two key aspects.
Direct awareness training provided by tadea to raise awareness of the implications of cold weather and cold temperatures on people’s health. This is targeted at public service professionals who routinely meet and enter the homes of the public. The training highlights the increased risks that cold weather has on older people’s health.
If a member of the public is identified as needing support, the Hotspots referral process is started using a simple and easy to understand form. This triggers a fast response by a dedicated team of energy specialists, from within the Energy Saving Trust based in tadea. This often results in immediate remedial work that rapidly improves the living conditions for the individual. The speed of this initiative is what drives its success.
Energy on Prescription
As part of a National Integrated Care Pilot, the Healthy Homes Partnership was adopted as a key vehicle to develop new ways of responding to Excess Winter Deaths.
Led by Durham Dales PBC Cluster, the pilot scheme was designed, developed and delivered in a deprived community in County Durham. This scheme was known as Energy on Prescription.
By working in partnership with a local GP, this radical approach to resolving fuel poverty involved identifying the most vulnerable patients from within an area that was considered to have high levels of multiple deprivation.
Targeted individuals had their fuel bills paid for them, through the GP Practice, during the winter months. In return, the GP Practice was able to monitor the physical and emotional health of the patients and record any variation in historical admission rates to hospital. This initiative was well received by the public and provided persuasive data that indicated a cost benefit advantage.