British health leaders say nation facing a 'public health emergency'
August 19, 2022, 4:12 pm

British health leaders say nation facing a 'public health emergency'

UK London-Winter season/Pixabay

Senior leaders in Britain's National Health Service (NHS) have made an "unprecedented" appeal to the government to take action on rising energy prices as the UK faces a "public health emergency", the DPA reported, the Anews said.

The NHS Confederation sent a letter to ministers on Friday (August 19), warning that surging costs mean people will have to choose between skipping meals to heat their homes or living in cold and damp conditions this winter.

Health leaders said they are concerned that widespread fuel poverty will increase the high number of annual deaths associated with cold homes - estimated at 10,000 - and add pressure to an already overwhelmed health service.

NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said: "The country is facing a humanitarian crisis.

"Many people could face the awful choice between skipping meals to heat their homes and having to live in in cold, damp and very unpleasant conditions.

British health leaders say nation facing a 'public health emergency' - Photo. Pixabay

"This in turn could lead to outbreaks of illness and sickness around the country and widen health inequalities, worsen children's life chances, and leave an indelible scar on local communities."

Mr Taylors said these outbreaks of illness will strike "just as the NHS is likely to experience the most difficult winter on record".

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"NHS leaders have made this unprecedented intervention as they know that fuel poverty will inevitably lead to significant extra demand on what are already very fragile services," he added.

"Health leaders are clear that, unless urgent action is taken by the Government, this will cause a public health emergency."

It comes as energy regulator Ofgem is set to raise the cap on energy prices from October, leading household bills to soar.

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The government has faced calls to freeze bills or provide more support to households, but ministers have said no action will be taken until a new prime minister is in place on September 5.

Challenged on whether the NHS letter to ministers is "overtly political", Mr Taylor told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's not our job to tell the Government what to do.

"It's our responsibility to be clear about what is likely to be happening in terms of health needs and the capacity of the NHS to cope."

Brits instructed to reduce temperature of their boilers to tackle rising energy bills

He added that the NHS Confederation is speaking on behalf of hundreds of health leaders across the UK.

"We're making this call because leaders have asked us to make this because they can see the growing problems in their community and amongst lower paid staff, and they are concerned about the fact that they'll be facing additional demands, more people who felt sick during winter, and it's our responsibility to speak about that," he said. "It is a major public health issue."

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”