medical disclaimer
what this site does
Stay Prepared turns government and NHS guidance into practical steps: what to keep at home, how much, and what to do in a power cut, water outage or other disruption.
The site sources figures from the UK government, NHS, and official bodies. Every number and every piece of advice names its source.
Some guides mention health and medical conditions, because they affect how to prepare. For example:
- A guide on dialysis during a power cut explains what to do before an outage happens.
- A guide on cooking mentions staying cool and drinking water, because heat-related deaths rise in power cuts.
- A guide on water outages mentions hand washing and hygiene because water stops that.
what this site does not do
Stay Prepared is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Nothing on this site is medical advice.
This site does not:
- Tell you whether to take or stop a medication.
- Tell you how to treat an illness or condition.
- Recommend one treatment over another.
- Replace talking to your GP, nurse, pharmacist or hospital team.
If you have a medical condition or take regular medication, your healthcare team are the only people who can advise you on what to do in a power cut or water outage.
if someone at home has a medical condition
Guides on this site that mention specific medical conditions (dialysis, oxygen, insulin) are designed to help you prepare. They explain what to think about and what to ask your healthcare team. They are not instructions for treating the condition.
If you are worried about your health, or you think you are having a medical emergency, call your GP, NHS 111 or 999. Do not rely on this site for medical help.
which guides mention health
The following guides mention medical conditions or health:
- If someone at home depends on medical equipment or medications (general preparedness for powered medical equipment and refrigerated medications)
- If you are on dialysis and there is a power cut or water outage
- How to cook safely without electricity(mentions heat exhaustion)
- What to do in a power cut(mentions medication storage)
For advice on your own condition, always talk to your healthcare team.
your data
Stay Prepared asks for no personal information and collects no health data. The site does not know who you are or what condition you have.
When you visit, Vercel Web Analytics counts that you visited a page. It does not know who you are or why. Read the privacy page for what is recorded.
when to seek medical help
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, or loss of consciousness: call 999.
- You think you have a medical emergency: call 999.
- You are worried about your health or a symptom: call NHS 111 or your GP.
- You have a long-term condition and a power cut happens: contact your hospital or GP. If you cannot reach them, call NHS 111.
- You have mental health concerns: call NHS 111, Samaritans (116 123) or Shout (text SHOUT to 85258).