Applying MediClim™ ‐ a new weather‐driven health index in a telecare service to support individuals with long‐term conditions

Long‐term conditions are a major threat to the health and well‐being of many people in Cheshire and across the developed world. They are generally related to lifestyle and have to be managed rather than cured. MediClim™ provides early warning of adverse weather conditions relevant to these conditions, enabling early warnings to be issued. This paper describes how such warnings may be issued through a telecare and social alarm service, enabling advice to reach elderly populations often excluded from services delivered through mobile or internet technologies. The protocol for a trial is presented which should provide evidence of effectiveness both of the advisory service and of the logistical approach taken using asthma, heart disease and Type 1 diabetes initially.