Climate & public health

Extreme heat and your health

Rising temperatures pose serious risks — especially for those who are most vulnerable. Understanding the dangers is the first step to staying safe.

Overview

A growing public health emergency

Extreme heat is no longer a distant threat. Across the UK, and here in Oxfordshire, we are experiencing more frequent and more intense heatwaves. The summer of 2022 saw temperatures exceed 40°C for the first time in recorded history. Scientists are clear: this is not a one-off.

For most healthy adults, a hot day is uncomfortable. For others — those living with chronic illness, the very young, and the elderly — extreme heat can be life-threatening. Heat-related illness can escalate quickly, and the consequences of inaction can be severe.

As your county councillor, I believe we have a duty to understand these risks, to speak plainly about them, and to ensure that our communities — and our public services — are prepared.

Vulnerability & risk

Who is most at risk?

Heat affects everyone, but some people face significantly greater danger. Three groups stand out as particularly vulnerable.

People with chronic conditions

Those living with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory conditions such as COPD or asthma, kidney disease, or neurological disorders face compounded risks during heatwaves.

Heart disease: the heart must work harder to pump blood to the skin for cooling, placing enormous strain on an already compromised cardiovascular system.
Diabetes: heat affects blood sugar regulation and can interfere with insulin storage. Dehydration worsens glycaemic control.
Kidney disease: reduced fluid intake and increased sweating accelerate dehydration, raising the risk of acute kidney injury.
Respiratory conditions: hot air and increased ground-level ozone worsen breathing difficulties for those with asthma or COPD.
Mental health conditions and certain medications — including antipsychotics, antidepressants, and diuretics — can impair the body's ability to regulate temperature.

The very young

Infants and young children are physiologically less able to regulate their body temperature. They depend entirely on adults to keep them safe.

Babies cannot sweat effectively and have a higher surface-area-to-body-mass ratio, meaning they heat up faster than adults.
Young children may not recognise or communicate that they are overheating, making adult vigilance essential.
Dehydration in infants can become critical within hours, particularly during feeding difficulties in hot weather.
Hot cars are an acute danger — temperatures inside a parked vehicle can reach lethal levels within minutes.

Older adults

People over 65 — and especially those over 75 — are disproportionately represented in heat-related hospital admissions and deaths.

The ageing body sweats less efficiently and has a reduced ability to sense rising body temperature.
Many older people take multiple medications that interfere with heat regulation or increase fluid loss.
Social isolation is a significant risk factor — those living alone may not have anyone to check on them during a heatwave.
Cognitive decline can impair judgement about drinking enough fluids or seeking cooler environments.

Know the signs

Understanding heat-related illness

Heat-related illness exists on a spectrum, from mild heat exhaustion to life-threatening heatstroke. Recognising the progression is critical.

Heat cramps

Mild

Painful muscle spasms, usually in the legs or abdomen, caused by loss of salt and fluid through sweating. Rest, cool fluids, and shade are usually sufficient.

Heat exhaustion

Moderate

Heavy sweating, cold and clammy skin, fast and weak pulse, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Move to a cool place, loosen clothing, apply cool wet cloths, and sip water. Seek medical advice if symptoms worsen.

Heatstroke

Severe — Call 999

A medical emergency. Body temperature above 40°C, hot and dry or damp skin, rapid and strong pulse, confusion, loss of consciousness. Call 999 immediately. Cool the person rapidly by any means available.

If you suspect heatstroke, call 999 immediately. Do not wait to see if the person improves. Cool them rapidly while waiting for help — remove excess clothing, apply cool water to the skin, and fan them.

Banbury & Oxfordshire

The local picture

Oxfordshire is one of the counties identified as facing above-average heat risk in coming decades. Urban areas, including parts of Banbury, experience the urban heat island effect — where built surfaces retain heat overnight, preventing the cooling that rural areas benefit from.

Grimsbury and Castle electoral division includes areas of older housing stock with limited insulation and ventilation, and a population that includes many older residents and families in social housing. These are precisely the conditions that amplify heat risk.

Oxfordshire County Council has a role in coordinating the public health response to extreme heat, working alongside district councils, the NHS, and voluntary sector organisations. I will continue to press for robust heat-health action plans that are properly resourced and reach the most vulnerable residents.

Practical guidance

What you can do

During a heatwave, simple actions can make a significant difference — for yourself and for those around you.

Stay Cool

Keep curtains and blinds closed on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
Open windows at night when the outside temperature drops below the indoor temperature.
Use fans to circulate air, but note that fans alone do not prevent heat illness at very high temperatures.
Identify the coolest room in your home and spend time there during the hottest part of the day.

Stay Hydrated

Drink water regularly throughout the day, even if you do not feel thirsty.
Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and very sugary drinks, which can accelerate dehydration.
If you take medication that affects fluid balance, speak to your GP or pharmacist about managing this during hot weather.

Look Out for Others

Check on elderly neighbours, relatives, and those living alone at least once a day during a heatwave.
Never leave children or animals in parked vehicles.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heatstroke, and do not hesitate to call 999 if someone is seriously unwell.

Paul-Austin Sargent

A councillor's perspective

“Extreme heat is not a future problem. It is happening now, and it is already costing lives.”

"I have followed the science on climate change for many years, and the trajectory is clear. What concerns me most is not the headline temperature figures, but the cumulative toll on the most vulnerable people in our communities — those who have the least capacity to adapt and the least access to the resources that help.

We need to be honest that heat-health planning in England has historically been underfunded and fragmented. The NHS Heat-Health Alert system is a start, but it needs to be matched by action at the local level: outreach to isolated older residents, support for families in overheating homes, and investment in infrastructure that cools our streets.

I am committed to raising these issues at Oxfordshire County Council and to ensuring that Grimsbury and Castle electoral division is not left behind as we face the health challenges of a warming climate."