Investment in winter help aims to reduce pressure on services

Health and care leaders across the city have teamed up to make sure their organisations are able to help people plan to keep warm and well this winter, offering advice, energy ‘health checks’ and energy efficiency improvements.

The Warmth for Wellbeing service is being delivered by Groundwork Leeds who are working in partnership with Care and Repair Leeds. The help is being funded by the council’s Public Health team and NHS Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Leeds North CCG. With funding covering the next three years the service will provide year-round tailored solutions to needs identified by and for vulnerable people living in cold or damp homes.

Councillor Lisa Mulherin, Leeds City Council executive member for health and adults, said:

“This is an investment in making the city a better place to live more healthily. It reflects our clear understanding of the benefits of investing in prevention to reduce pressures on frontline health services and help people keep well in their own homes.

“We want to see less illness due to cold and damp properties, more understanding of how people can get the best value energy and the best use made of the strong links between health, care and environmental services to deliver winter wellbeing advice for people in Leeds.“

The service has a freephone number 0808 1683547 and existing Green Doctor Service (Groundwork) and Warm Homes Service (Care and Repair) contact details will also continue to be used.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said:

“The new service will not only be able to take referrals from frontline workers such as social workers, GPs and housing workers, but also from carers, householders themselves and friends and neighbours.

“No-one wants to live in a cold or damp home and this funding can help to ensure people are warm and well, without breaking the bank!

“This is a great example of us linking different organisations to provide better, more efficient services which can deliver better outcomes.

Support being offered will include:

· Advice and assessment

This includes advice on heating controls and equipment, issues with condensation and/or damp, keeping warm through behavioural change and self-help;

· Energy bill ‘health checks' checking ways to save money on energy bills

This includes advice on energy tariffs and standing charges, payment methods and supplier comparison with regard to gas and electric, advice on water meters and social water tariffs;

· Supplier liaison

Contacting energy suppliers, switching energy suppliers, advice on dealing with energy debt and negotiating re-payment plans;

· Assessment of potential home improvement support;

· Energy efficiency improvements, such as installation of draught proofing, reflective radiator panels, energy efficient light bulbs, servicing of existing heating, referrals to Better Homes Leeds for larger energy efficiency measures;

· Emergency help, such as emergency repairs to existing heating/hot water equipment or systems, temporary heating.

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Notes to Editors:

Website details are:

www.care-repair-leeds.org.uk

www.thegreendoctors.org