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Household preparedness

Health & First Aid

If you collect a prescription each month or help someone with daily care, you already know how much depends on a familiar routine. A missed delivery, a difficult journey or a power cut can make that routine harder. Start by thinking about the help and supplies you use now.

Keep ordinary care on track

Keep a way to contact your pharmacy or care team, and talk through likely interruptions with them. If equipment needs power or a delivery is essential, ask what to do if it is interrupted. Share the agreed plan with anyone helping you, without sharing private medical details more widely than needed.

Care, first aid and everyday support

Feel more confident about first aid

Knowing where the first-aid supplies are is a useful start. Recognised first-aid training can help you understand what to do and when to get professional help.

Keep medicines and care in view

Think about prescription collection, regular deliveries and equipment that needs electricity. Ask your pharmacist, care team or equipment provider about the parts you’re unsure of.

Make everyday support easier

Washing, rest and staying in touch still matter when routines change. Ask what would help the person involved rather than making assumptions about their needs.

Where a familiar routine can be interrupted

  • One person may usually collect medicines, with nobody else sure how to help if they are unavailable.
  • A care service’s contact details may be difficult to find outside normal hours.
  • Someone helping you may not know what has been agreed with the equipment or care provider.

A few useful conversations

  • Keep your usual pharmacy and care-service numbers where you and anyone helping you can find them.
  • Discuss likely interruptions with the people providing your care. Don’t change treatment to make a household plan easier.
  • Find out how to get urgent prescription help where you live; the NHS source below explains the options in England.

When care becomes harder to reach

  • Power cut. Equipment or the phone used to contact support may be affected.
  • Transport disruption. Getting to an appointment or collecting medicine may take more planning.

Bring the right help into your plan

Explore all ten areas of preparedness

Ask the people who know your care

For advice about medicines or medical equipment, speak to your pharmacist, care team or equipment provider. Recognised first-aid training offers a chance to practise skills with an instructor.

Put it into practice

Browse related knowledge

Sources and further advice

For more detail, use the guidance below. Check which part of the UK each source covers.