COTSWOLD residents are being urged to look out for vulnerable neighbours who may be at risk from the cold this winter.

An estimated 25,000 deaths each year are associated with winter in England, many of which are preventable and practical measures to minimise the risk are suggested in the 2014 Cold Weather Plan for England.

The plan, which is published by Public Health England, the Local Government Association and NHS England, offers advice that people can take, before and during the winter, to reduce the risks to health.

Dr Shona Arora, centre director for the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Public Health England Centre said: “Every winter thousands of people die from a range of health conditions many of which can be linked to cold weather. The sad thing is many of these deaths are preventable through relatively simple measures, many of which are best done before the really cold weather sets in.

“Of course much of what we can all do is common sense, such as making our homes as energy efficient as we can and putting the heating on, dressing warmly and keeping active when it’s cold. But some people find these things difficult to do and that’s why we’re urging everyone to think of someone they know who may be affected by the cold - an elderly relative, friend or neighbour, someone not in the best of health or with very young children - to take the time to think about what you can do to help protect their health this winter.

“Older people, those with health conditions, even if they are well managed, and pregnant women are at much greater risk of becoming seriously unwell if they catch flu and sadly, many end up in hospital. The best way these people can protect themselves from flu is to take up the offer of free vaccination from their GP.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chair of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board said:

“We need everyone in our communities to be on the look-out for signs that something might be wrong. Whether it be milk bottles left outside, newspapers stuck in the letterbox or curtains drawn all day, any sort of unusual activity could be a sign that something is wrong and that someone is in need of help.

“Council teams will soon be on standby to help with everything from carrying out emergency household repairs like defrosting pipes and fixing frozen boilers to delivering hot meals and portable heaters, and will be checking in on elderly and vulnerable residents to make sure they are okay.”

A PHE Winter Health Watch website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england/series/winter-health-watch) will also launch early November and brings together PHE’s weekly monitoring of winter-related illnesses and deaths.