NHS and Fire Service sign new consenses to help vulnerable and reduce winter pressures

NHS and Fire Service sign new consenses to help vulnerable and reduce winter pressures Firefighters have joined forces with the NHS in a new health partnership to tackle health and social problems and reduce winter pressures.

Today, five organisations signed a new ‘Consensus’ – NHS England, Public Health England, the Fire and Rescue Service, Age UK and the Local Government Association – promising to work together to make changes throughout their workforce.

The new ‘Consensus‘ sets out how the organisations can work together to encourage local action to prevent or minimise service demand and improve the quality of life of people with long term conditions.

It means fire fighters across the country will aim to carry out more ‘Safe and Well’ checks in people’s homes when they visit.

The fire fighters will aim to extend the 670,000 home safety checks already carried out each year into a ‘Safe and Well’ visit to help particularly the vulnerable and those with complex conditions.

As well as reducing the risks of a fire, they will aim to reduce health risks such as falls, loneliness and isolation which will also reduce visits to A&E, broken hips and depression. NHS England