Patients benefit from funding to keep homes warm

CASH IS REDUCING HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS

- By LORNA HUGHES

PATIENTS with lung conditions are getting an extra £300 to help keep their homes warm on Teesside.

More than 800 people have been supported through the scheme since last October.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Middlesbrough Council’s Public Health, the North East and North Cumbria ICB and Middlesbrough Environment City (MEC) have joined forces to tackle the rate of admissions for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in the South Tees area - which are significantly higher than the England average.

They secured funding via Northern Gas Networks for the “COPD Project: Warmer Homes Better Health Project”, which was rolled out to support COPD patients with their fuel payments.