Nerys Evans MS, Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health
A rare Red warning for extreme heat has been issued for parts of Wales on Wednesday and Thursday, I want to urge people in Wales to pay close attention to this urgent warning and the additional steps we all need to take to look after ourselves and others.
Heat related illness can affect anyone, regardless of age or health - but the risks are greatest for older people, babies and very young children, who can deteriorate quickly in high temperatures.
We must all follow public health advice, stay hydrated, avoid being out during the hottest part of the day if at all possible, and ensure that vulnerable people are looked after as a priority.
Taking a few minutes to check on family, friends and neighbours could be potentially lifesaving.
It may be tempting to cool off in lakes or rivers, but cold-water shock is a real danger when jumping in. You should never swim in a reservoir. If you find yourself in trouble in the water, remember the lifesaving advice: #FloatToLive.
We have activated the Welsh Government’s response coordination arrangements to monitor and manage the impacts of the severe heat across the areas we are responsible for working closely with Local Resilience Forum partners and with the UK Government. We will keep people updated with the latest information on an ongoing basis.
NHS and social care organisations have activated local adverse weather plans. Any advice to patients or impacts on services will be communicated directly by health boards or trusts.
The Welsh Government has worked with Care Inspectorate Wales to communicate hot weather advice to care providers based on public health advice.
We are also working with relevant stakeholder organisations to promote health messaging.
Advice to deal with extreme heat has also been given to schools and childcare settings. Any decision to close schools remains with individual Headteachers or local authorities. In every case the safety of children and staff will be the top priority.
While there is no maximum temperature set in health and safety legislation we would encourage employers to take all reasonable steps to have comfortable temperatures, to assess the risks to employees and take steps to protect staff that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of high temperatures.
I want to provide reassurance that water resources in Wales are currently in a strong position and are being closely managed by our water companies.
There is likely to be disruption to transport networks, particularly rail, due to the extreme heat so people should plan ahead and check the latest travel advice.
I would like to urge all members of the Senedd to use their networks within their constituencies to ensure that public health advice reaches as many people as possible.
The situation remains under close and continuous review, and we will continue to update Members as necessary.