Hundreds of people with medical conditions offered help to heat homes

NHS Grampian is taking part in a trial to help vulnerable people heat their homes.

The initiative sees the health board working with local energy charity Scarf an energy innovation hub Energy Systems Catapult to offer people with respiratory conditions support to keep their homes warm enough this winter.

Under the trial, which is also taking place in London and the Tees Valley, the health board identifies people most at risk from a cold home due to a pre-existing respiratory condition and who are also struggling to pay their energy bills.

Scarf then gets in touch to talk people through the process.

The charity will add credit to the heating/gas account and engineers can install heating controls if needed, and money will be paid to the supplier to heat a main living area and bedroom. The company will send thermometers and the people taking part must record a gas or electricity meter reading.

Professor Shantini Paranjothy, consultant in public health at NHS Grampian, said: “Funding for this pilot is not coming from the NHS budget but from a not-for-profit energy innovation hub called Energy Systems Catapult.

“This is a limited trial this year focused on Aberdeen, and the 330 people we have identified, along with the two other trial areas in London and Tees Valley. We are pleased to be part of the trial and look forward to seeing the results.

“We have identified 330 people in Aberdeen to be part of this trial. They are all individuals with respiratory conditions, for whom being in a cold home could have serious consequences. We have written to them all to offer this support and would strongly encourage them to take up the offer.”

David Mackay, co-chief executive at Scarf, said “Once one of our advisers speaks to an individual and outlines the programme, we will aim to have money into their energy accounts within a fortnight to ensure they can keep their bedroom and main living area heated to between 18-21C throughout the winter.

“Participants will be sent thermometers to help them measure how warm their home is, and temperature recorders which will be returned to us at the end of March 2023. This helps us ensure we have paid for the correct amount of fuel.”