Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2025
Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2025-0430, written 12 Aug 2025. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.
| Date of report | 12 Aug 2025 |
|---|---|
| Reference | 2025-0430 |
| Deceased | James Rownsley |
| Coroner | Nicola Mundy |
| Coroner area | South Yorkshire (East) |
| Category | Community health care and emergency services related deaths |
| Source | judiciary.uk record · original PDF |
| Responses published | 1 |
Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.
MS N J MUNDY H M CORONER SOUTH YORKSHIRE (East District) email: hmc.doncaster@doncaster.gov.uk CORONER’S COURT AND OFFICE CROWN COURT COLLEGE ROAD DONCASTER DN1 3HS Tel: (01302) 737135 Fax: (01302) 736365 REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: The National Fire Chiefs Council 1. CORONER I am Ms N J Mundy for South Yorkshire East District 2. CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/25/schedule/5/paragraph/7 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1629/part/7/made 3. INVESTIGATION and INQUEST On 3 March 2025 I commenced an investigation into the death of James William Rownsley. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest. My conclusion at inquest was: Cause of Death: 1a Severe Burns Conclusion: Accidental death . Circumstances: James William Rownsley died on 20 February 2025 from severe burns at his home address after his clothing ignited following contact with a gas fire in his home. The presence of emollient cream on his clothing was a significant factor in his death 4. CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH Mr Rownsley was a gentleman born in 1935 with limited mobility, who used emollient creams for his skin condition. On the 20th February 2025 he had got up early and was in the habit of lighting his calor gas fire to warm the sitting room whilst the central heating heated up the house. On this date he switched the fire on and then sat close by on his sofa. Mr Rownsley had residue of emollient creams both on the clothing he was wearing and on the throw over his sofa. When Mr Rownsley lit the gas fire a flame caught his clothing and ignited the clothes he was wearing. Mr Rownsley did not realise this had occurred until he sat down on his sofa. When he realised he managed to get to his feet, but was unable to extinguish the flames and fell to the floor where he passed away from severe burns. I heard evidence from clothing were responsible for the clothing catching fire and also responsible for the intensity of the fire that would have very rapidly developed once fabric had been ignited. the fire investigator that the emollients present on his also informed me that despite the efforts of his local Fire Service, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, to educate their partners about the dangers associated with the of use of emollients and them becoming absorbed in clothing and bedding (which cannot be removed by washing) and risk of ignition appear not to be fully appreciated by the partners with whom they deal such as General Practitioners, nurses and many others. The family also made it clear that members of the public are unaware of the dangers posed and have made their own efforts to educate the public. 5. CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. 1. The need for effective communication to partners and stakeholders responsible for either prescribing such emollients, or indeed caring for people in the community, of the dangers of using such creams particularly when in close proximity to flames or heat. 2. An apparent lack of awareness of the both professionals and the public regarding the extent of that risk. 3. I was also told that since 2020 there have been 50 deaths in England involving emollient creams but there was a significant discrepancy between the data held by fire services in terms of there being 50 deaths, and the data held by Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory agency only had a record of 15. Accordingly, the current system of reporting such data to this regulatory authority should be reviewed with consideration to making this more robust or if there is an absence of such a referral process, for one to be introduced and communicating any such reporting requirements to all fire services. 5. The risk seems to be heightened in situations where elderly persons or persons of lower income are using such methods to heat their homes to avoid the cost of putting central heating on of the entire property. 6. ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you the National Fire Chief Council have the power to take such action. 7. YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by the 8th October 2025. I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed. 8. COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following Interested Persons I am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner. 12 August 2025 Ms N J Mundy, Senior Coroner for South Yorkshire East District
1 response published against this report on judiciary.uk. A response is a body's written reply to the coroner's concerns; publication is at the discretion of the Chief Coroner's office, so an absent response does not mean nobody replied.
Ms N J Mundy HM Coroner for South Yorkshire (East District) c/o 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden London WC2H 9JQ www.nfcc.org.uk 8 October 2025 Dear Ms Mundy, Thank you for raising the concerns in relation to the death of James William Rownsley on 20 February 2025. It is with great sadness that I read about the circumstances of his death. The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is committed to a culture of learning and improvement and seeks to support fire and rescue services (FRSs) to embed a learning culture. We actively track Prevention of Future Deaths Reports and share them with our members to ensure all opportunities to improve are taken. In your report you have identified NFCC as being an organisation that has the power to take action to prevent future deaths associated with emollient creams In response to the recommendations made, they highlight a risk that has been recognised nationally for some years, and NFCC has worked closely with national health and safety bodies to raise awareness and implement preventative measures. In 2016, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued its first Drug Safety Update regarding paraffin-based products with less than 50% content. This guidance was expanded in 2018 to include all paraffin concentrations and paraffin-free emollients, following evidence that residue on fabrics such as clothing, bedding, and dressings significantly increases flammability. In 2020, NFCC partnered with MHRA to launch the joint national campaign 'Know the Fire Risk', supported by a multi-agency stakeholder group including fire services, clinicians, and academics. This campaign remains active and has recently been enhanced with new training materials, including a video titled 'Reducing Risk: Information for Carers and Support Workers'. In 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and the Homecare Association issued updated guidance to health and care providers on the safe use of emollients. NFCC has also embedded emollient-related fire risk into the Person-Centred Home Fire Safety Framework, which underpins prevention activity across all UK fire and rescue services. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 NFCC has undertaken the following actions to address emollient-related fire risks: • • • • • Maintained a dedicated emollient workstream since 2017/18. Developed and distributed campaign toolkits for fire services, NHS partners, and care providers. Delivered a joint MHRA/NFCC media campaign in 2020. Embedded emollient fire risk into Home Fire Safety Visits. Continued engagement with MHRA, NHS, CQC, and the Homecare Association. In response to the specific concerns raised in your report, NFCC has worked with MHRA, NHS England, CQC, and the Homecare Association to ensure that health professionals are aware of emollient-related fire risks. A presentation was delivered at the National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers Conference in May 2019 to healthcare fire officers, and emollient safety information has been shared with the National Pharmacy Association to support awareness in pharmacy settings. Campaign materials were circulated to all UK fire and rescue services, including the Homecare Association in September 2025, with a recommendation to strengthen engagement with GPs, district nurses, and care providers. While awareness has improved, we recognise that further efforts are needed. NFCC is exploring opportunities to support fire and rescue services and De Montfort University in developing national or regional webinars. These would target a broad audience including pharmacists, pharmacy teams, health service prevention teams, GPs, community safety teams, and fire and rescue professionals, building on recent examples such as the Norfolk adult safeguarding intervention. To further strengthen awareness and reporting, NFCC proposes: • • • Convening a data review group with MHRA and selected fire and rescue services by December 2025. Issuing national guidance to support consistent reporting. Supporting the rollout of the Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP) with emollient- specific fields by September 2026. NFCC is aware that current Incident Recording System (IRS) categories have not allowed consistent documentation of fire deaths where emollient products are a contributory factor. Since 2018, our emollients workstream project group has worked to improve incident reporting. In September 2025, FaRDaP was launched to replace IRS, and will introduce a dedicated field for emollient-related incidents from April 2026. The system is expected to include guidance on MHRA Yellow Card reporting, subject to confirmation and with full implementation expected by September 2026. We are currently engaging with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) regarding access to data submitted through FaRDaP. While no formal agreement has yet been reached, our objective is to secure timely and relevant data to support sector-wide analysis. At present, MHCLG has indicated that data sharing will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and any data provided may be subject to delays due to processing and publication timelines. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 We continue to recognise the heightened risk in vulnerable households, particularly among elderly residents, low-income families, and those using alternative heating methods. NFCC has embedded emollient fire risk into the Person-Centred Home Fire Safety Framework, and we will ensure this risk is highlighted during winter preparedness campaigns for 2025/26. A full timeline of guidance, campaigns, publications, and communications is provided in Annex A. Annex B highlights how South Yorkshire fire and rescue service (SYFRS) has incorporated NFCC guidance into local partnership training sessions and awareness initiatives. The NFCC remains committed to supporting fire and rescue services in their prevention efforts and to working collaboratively with health and care partners to reduce the risk of future deaths. We will be sharing our response with the host fire and rescue service and the Care Quality Commission to reinforce the key learning and highlight the work undertaken to date. We would also welcome any support the Coroner may be able to provide in helping to disseminate these important messages across health and adult social care settings, where wider engagement will be essential to preventing similar incidents in the future. Yours sincerely Chair National Fire Chiefs Council Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Annex A – National Evidence: Timeline of Guidance, Campaigns & Communications (2016–2025) Core Safety Messages since 2018 1. Continue using emollients for skin conditions but avoid naked flames or smoking. 2. Clothing, bedding, and dressings with residue can ignite easily. 3. Label warnings are present on emollient products. 4. High-risk profiles include heavy use, dressings, reduced mobility, oxygen use, or smoking; perform a risk assessment. Timelines Key guidance and campaigns • April 2016 – MHRA DSU: Fire risk from paraffin-based emollients; advised keeping patients away from ignition sources. • December 2018 – MHRA DSU: Extended to all paraffin concentrations and paraffin-free emollients; risk arises from contaminated fabrics. • 2018–2020 – MHRA, NFCC, NHS and Academic partners including De Montfort University and Anglia Ruskin University: National labelling and campaign push. o NFCC: endorsed fire-hazard warnings on labels; washing does not fully remove risk o GOV.UK: created a public advice hub and campaign toolkit. o NHS Board: materials circulated posters, videos, and standard advice. • 2019–2021 – MHRA and BMJ: Clinical reinforcement. MHRA follow-ups, BMJ and specialty guidance emphasised fabrics, not cream itself, as the fire risk • 2024–2025 – Oversight and sector refreshers: o 2025 – CQC: Learning bulletin reiterated safe use and risk o June 2025 – Homecare Association: Guidance for domiciliary care Key Milestones – Incident Recording System (IRS) • 2018 – 30 September 2024: The Home Safety Committee (HSC) consistently lobbied the Home Office to incorporate emollient incident reporting into the new FaRDaP system, aligning with the objectives of the NFCC Project Plan. • 30 May 2018: Initial discussions with NHS Improvement regarding enhancements to fire data recording. (See Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 attached email: IRS Data NFCC Paraffin Project Team). The correspondence includes details of collaborative efforts to improve reporting mechanisms across health and care sectors. • 30 September 2024: Confirmation received from the Home Office that emollient-related incidents will be included in FaRDaP. (See attached email: Emollients Fire Statistics Collections). • 16 September 2025: Following a multi-year collaboration with the NFCC Data, Digital and Technology (DDaT) team, the FaRDaP platform officially launched on 15 September 2025. data collection changes, including emollients and e-cigarettes, are scheduled to rollout in 2026. The system is expected to include guidance on MHRA Yellow Card reporting, subject to confirmation. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Sector Engagement UK fire and rescue services: NFCC Toolkit Toolkit developed and distributed by NFCC to all UK fire and rescue services. National Campaign & Toolkit Elements • GOV.UK, MHRA and NFCC toolkit: A4 briefings, posters, video links for clinicians, carers and fire and rescue services. • NFCC campaign page, Know the Fire Risk: providing rationale, label guidance and “washing may not remove residue” message. Toolkit contents: • NFCC CFO Letter to Care Providers (Residential) • NFCC CFO Letter to Care Providers (Domiciliary) • Emollient Safety Training PowerPoint • NFCC Customer Leaflet • NFCC GP and Practice Nurse Letter • NFCC Pharmacist Letter Health and Care Sector Engagements • May 2019 – National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers (NAHFO): Presentation delivered at the May 2019 conference, sharing guidance and safety information with healthcare fire officers from hospitals and care providers. • National Pharmacy Association (NPA): Emollient safety information shared with the NPA to support awareness and risk reduction in pharmacy settings. Pharmacy Sector Engagement and Information Dissemination • March 2025 – Professional Journal Coverage: Emollient-related fire risks were highlighted in March 2025 in the Pharmaceutical Journal, the official publication of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. The article followed a BBC investigation and served as a timely reminder to healthcare professionals regarding the fire hazards associated with certain skin creams. The Pharmaceutical Journal (2018). BBC investigation prompts reminder on fire risk warning for skin creams. Available at: http://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and- analysis/news/bbc-investigation-prompts-reminder-on-fire-risk-warning-for-skin- creams/20202492.article Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 NHS Improvement, Patient safety alerts. Available at: https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/patient-safety-alerts/ • September 2018 – Retail Pharmacy Collaboration, Asda Pharmacists: • In September 2018, a dedicated meeting was held with pharmacists from Asda to discuss the risks associated with emollient use and explore strategies for raising awareness among pharmacy staff and customers. July 2020 – Information Sharing with Care Providers: In July 2020, targeted communications were issued to care providers and domiciliary care organisations to raise awareness of emollient-related fire risks. (Refer to the attached email: For Review – Emollient Fire Risk Letters, including a letter template developed for Fire and Rescue Services to adopt and distribute). Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Key Communications Journal Articles Blackburn, K.J., Morrissey, J., Tabert, C.L. and Hall, S.W. (2021). Evaluating the communication within fire and rescue services and the NHS on the fire risk of emollients in accordance with the MHRA safety update. Fire and Materials. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/fam.2975. Hall, S., Franklin, L., Bull, J., Beard, A., Phillips, G. and Morrissey, J. (2019). The flammability of textiles when contaminated with paraffin base products. Fire Safety Journal, 104, pp.109–116. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2019.01.003. Hall, S.W., Blackburn, K.J., Ferguson, L. and Pugh, P. (2021). Assessing the potential fire risk of laundered fabrics after contamination with emollients using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics. Science & Justice, 61(6), pp.779–788. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2021.09.004. (not open access, but available through De Montfort University repository DORA as authors accepted copy) McDermott, R., Bell, C., Morrissey, J., Shajan, G. and Hall, S. (2025). Reporting of fire deaths or serious incidents in the UK where emollients are recorded to be a contributing factor. Fire Safety Journal, 155, p.104410. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2025.104410. McDermott, R., Richards, M., Wright, M.-M., Shajan, G., Morrissey, J. and Hall, S. (2025). The Fire Behaviour of Fabrics Containing Dried Emollient Residues. Fire, 8(4), pp.133–133. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/fire8040133. McDermott, R., Taylor, L., Housam, N. and Hall, S. (2023). The potential fire risk of emollients when dried on viscose bandages. British Journal of Community Nursing, 28(2), pp.96–101. doi:https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2023.28.2.96. (not open access, but available through De Montfort University repository DORA as authors accepted copy) Ridd, M.J., Hall, S., Lane, M.E., Roberts, A. and Williams, H.C. (2022). Burns with emollients. BMJ, p.e066102. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2021-066102. Professional Trade publications Hall, S., Blackburn, K. and Morrissey, J. (2020). Exploring the flammability of emollients and skincare products. Fire Magazine, November, pp.57–59. Hall, S., Morrissey, J. and Blackburn, K. (2020). The awareness of emollient flammability and current research. International Fire Professional: The Journal of the Institution of Fire Engineers, May. Housam, N., Housam, M. and Housam, H. (2022). Emollients and flammability. Dermatological Nursing, 21(3), pp.42–47. Recent Presentations Bell, C. and Hall, S. (2025). Norfolk adult safeguarding intervention webinar on the fire risk of emollients. Norfolk Adult Safeguarding Meeting, January 2025. Bell, C. and Hall, S. (2025). Speed and development of fires – emollient skin products. Presented at the Fire Investigators Association of Ireland Training Conference and AGM, April 2025. Hall, S. (2019). Skin care products make cotton fabric more flammable. Medical Research [online], 2019. Hall, S. (2020). Emollient flammability. Training session for London Fire Brigade, October 2020. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Hall, S. (2022). Emollient flammability research so far. Scottish Multidisciplinary Working Group on Emollient Burns, online webinar, 22 August 2022. Hall, S. (2022). Emollient research. Community Pharmacy Dermatology Network, online presentation, 14 September 2022. Hall, S. (2022). Future research into emollient flammability and funding. Home Safety Committee of the NFCC, 12 May 2022. Hall, S. and Bell, C. (2024). Emollient fires: what we know and the research. Beds, Cambs and Herts Regional Fire Investigation Training, September 2024. Hall, S. and Bell, C. (2025). Emollients, the fire risk. Presented at East Coast Community Health Care CIC meeting, March 2025. Hall, S. and Morrissey, J. (2018). The fire hazard associated with clothing contaminated with paraffin- based emollients. Presented at the Home Oxygen National Patient Safety Group, Office of the Chief Scientific Officer (Medical Directorate of NHS England), 9 May 2018. Hall, S. and Morrissey, J. (2018). The fire hazard associated with clothing contaminated with paraffin- based emollients. NHS East of England Home Oxygen Service Education Event, 22 May 2018. Hall, S. and Tabert, C. (2019). Emollients, fire and sprinkler activation. Presented at the National Fire Sprinkler Network Conference, Derby, 23 May 2019. Hall, S., Morrissey, J. and Bell, C. (2019). The fire hazard associated with fabrics contaminated with skin care products. UK Association of Fire Investigators 16th Annual Training Conference: A Fatal Fire Investigation Master Class, Leeds, January 2019. Hall, S., Morrissey, J. and Blackburn, K. (2019). Medical skin creams could be a lethal fire risk when soaked into fabric – here’s what you need to know. The Conversation, August 2019. Housam, M., Housam, N. and Hall, S. (2023). Emollients and the fire risk: new research on viscose bandages and other fabrics. UK Association of Fire Investigators Annual Summer Training Conference, July 2023. Housam, N. (2024). An investigation into the fire risk associated with garments contaminated with different emollients. British Dermatology Nurse Group Conference, 2024. Housam, N. and Hall, S. (2023). The Therapy & Guidelines Sub-Committee narrative on emollient safety and flammability. BAD President’s Bulletin, 8 February 2023. Housam, N. and Housam, M. (2024). Emollients and the fire risks. Presented at UK National Wound Conference, February 2024. Shajan, G. and Hall, S. (2024). The fire risk of emollients: safety advice and current research. Essex Stay Safe Teams Training (in partnership with Essex Fire and Rescue Service), August 2024. Other relevant presentations • National Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) Collaboration • Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Invitation received on 23 August from NHS Scotland to participate in a working group. (See attached email: Emollient Burns). Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 • Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland: Participation in the 2025 Fire Investigators Conference, fostering cross-border collaboration on emollient-related fire risks. Dallow, L. and Hall, S. (2024). The fire risk of textiles contaminated with sun creams and similar products. Presented at the East Midlands Forensic Capability Network Student Conference, June 2024. Hall, S., Morrissey, J., Ferguson, L. and Pugh, P. (2021). The investigation of the flammability of fabrics when contaminated with emollients and the link with fire fatalities. Presented at the International Conference of the Biotechnology Society of Nepal (ICBSN) – Healthcare and Forensics, virtual conference, 12–14 February 2021. Leal, C., Hall, S. and Hadjicostas, D. (2013). Investigation of burns from cigarettes and naked flames on different substrates impregnated with white soft paraffin. Presented at the 9th National FORREST (FORensic RESearch & Teaching) Conference, UK, June 2013. McDermott, R., Richards, M. and Hall, S. (2023). Flammability testing of flame-retardant materials when contaminated with dried-on emollient products. Presented at the East Midlands Forensic Capability Network Conference, May 2023. Shajan, G., Farrugia, K. and Hall, S. (2023). Emollient flammability and future research into detection in post-fire debris. Presented at the East Midlands Forensic Capability Network Academic and Practitioners Joint Meeting, April 2023. Shajan, G., Farrugia, K. and Hall, S. (2023). Investigating the flame speed of impregnated fabrics using a vertical flammability test. Presented at the East Midlands Forensic Capability Network Conference, May 2023. Shajan, G., Farrugia, K. and Hall, S. (2025). Investigating the possible contribution of emollients in fire fatalities. Presented at the East Midlands Forensic Capability Network Conference, Loughborough University, May 2025. Shajan, G., Farrugia, K. and Hall, S. (2025). The contribution of emollients in fatal fires. Presented at the European Academy of Forensic Science (EAFS) Conference, Dublin, May 2025. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Awards for campaigns . Winner of national patient safety award of the Pharmacy PrescQipp Awards 2020 with local NHS health and social care providers (PACCCG), Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and De Montfort University and Anglia Ruskin University. “Emollient safety campaign”. The campaign was also voted as the Gold 2020 PrescQipp winner – an additional award voted for by all award attendees at the event. Stakeholder group of De Montfort University, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG and Cambridgeshire FRSs partnered on a campaign on safer use of emollients, which was launched in October 2019. The campaign material was sent to 160 local pharmacies, 50 dispensing practices, 100 GP practices, 10 acute trusts, 4 hospices and 180 care homes. This included 20,000 public information leaflets for NHS stay well packs; 18,000 patient/public information leaflets; 840 posters; 5,000 carers leaflets; and 15,000 pharmacy bags. Feedback demonstrates the effectiveness of the campaign; one pharmacist commented: “The bags were an excellent prompt. Nearly all patients asked why they had a special bag, which facilitated the conversation”. Another practitioner commented: “It allowed us to effectively target those patients for whom this campaign was intended”. . Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards 2019 “Collaboration of the year” with West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, London Fire Brigade, Essex Fire and Rescue Service. This was “Presented to a team that has participated in a collaboration(s) which has made a discernible improvement to the community they serve”. Other Awards • Research Excellence Framework 2021, Impact case study as principal investigator (Sarah Hall) Anglia Ruskin University “Reducing the Fire Risk from Emollient-impregnated Fabrics”. • Research Excellence Framework 2021, 3 paper contributions for De Monfort University (based on emollient fire risk research) and for Anglia Ruskin University in 2014. Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Media Coverage Summary – February to March 2018 An extensive media campaign was coordinated by the Corporate Communications Department, aimed at raising public awareness of the fire risks associated with paraffin-based skin creams. The campaign featured interviews with: • Watch Commander Chris Bell • Watch Manager Jamie Lister, Fire Investigation Unit • Family members of Pauline Taylor (deceased May 2015) • Family members of Brian Bicat (deceased September 2017) Broadcast Media Highlights • BBC Radio 5 Live aired the first interview on Sunday, 11 February 2018. • On the same day, Chris Bell appeared on the BBC Breakfast TV sofa, reaching an estimated national audience of 600,000–800,000 viewers. • BBC Inside Out (Yorkshire & Lincolnshire) aired a segment on 12 February 2018, attracting 256,000 viewers. • The story was also covered by BBC Radio Leeds. • Between Sunday and Monday, the following BBC News video received 2.7 million views: BBC News – Fire Tests Show Dangers of Paraffin-Based Skin Creams • A news package was broadcast on BBC Look North, with an estimated viewership of 350,000– 400,000. Print and Online Media Coverage The campaign received widespread coverage across national and regional outlets, including the Daily Mail, Metro, The Telegraph, Sky News, Irish News, Evening Standard, The Independent, The Sun, Daily Star, Huffington Post, Yorkshire Evening Post. Numerous radio interviews were also conducted across various stations. Media and Press coverage: • 5 Live (2018). 5 Live Investigates reports on dangers of skin creams. Available at: https://www.nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/news/5-live-investigates-reports-on-dangers-skin- creams/193647 • Daily Mail (2018). Paraffin-based skin creams linked to hundreds of fire deaths. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5377811/Paraffin-based-skin-creams-linked- hundreds-fire-deaths.html • Daily Star (2018). Fire deaths blamed on paraffin-based skin creams. [online] Available at: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/681170/fire-deaths-blamed-on-paraffin-based- skin-creams-West-Yorkshire-eczema-psoriasis-health • Evening Standard (2018). Skin creams linked to hundreds of deaths, top firefighter warns. Available at: https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/skin-creams-linked-to-hundreds-of-deaths- top-firefighter-warns-a3763711.html Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 • Sky News (2018). Skin creams could be behind hundreds of deaths, fire chief warns. [online] Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/skin-creams-could-be-behind-hundreds-of-deaths- fire-chief-warns-11246595 • • • The Independent (2018). Hundreds of fire deaths linked to skin creams, firefighter warns. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/hundreds-fire-deaths-linked-skin- creams-firefighter-bbc-eczema-a8205386.html The Sun (2018). Firefighters warn paraffin-based skin creams linked to deaths. Available at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5551474/firefighters-warn-paraffin-based-skin-creams- linked-deaths/ The Telegraph (2018). Paraffin-based skin creams may be linked to hundreds of deaths, senior firefighter warns. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/11/paraffin-based- skin-creams-may-linked-hundreds-deaths-senior/ • West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS). Emollient fire risk awareness for health and care professionals [video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt4LE3wmtb0 Media Coverage from 11 February 2018 • BBC (2018). 5 Live Investigates: Skin cream fire risk. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09rwyg0 • BBC (2018). BBC Downloads – Skin cream fire risk episodes. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tl99q/episodes/downloads • BBC News (2018). Fire tests show dangers of paraffin-based creams soaked into fabric. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-43009257/fire-tests-show-dangers-of-paraffin- based-creams-soaked-into-fabric • Brinkwire (2018). Family highlights dangers of skin creams after death of great-grandma. Available at: http://en.brinkwire.com/145193/family-highlights-dangers-of-skin-creams-after- death-of-great-grandma/ • Daily Mail (2018). Firefighter: Creams flammable when absorbed into fabric [video]. Available at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1626078/Firefighter-Creams-flammable- absorbed.html • Daily Record (2018). Terrifying way you could accidentally cause a fire with skin cream. Available at: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/health-fitness/terrifying-way-you-could- accidently-12006744 • Devon Live (2018). Creams used for eczema and psoriasis may pose fire risk. Available at: https://www.devonlive.com/news/creams-used-eczema-psoriasis-may-1198197 • Examiner Live (2018). Family highlights dangers of skin creams after fire. Available at: https://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/family-highlights-dangers-skin- creams-14280656 • Herald Scotland (2018). Warning: paraffin-based skin creams may be linked to hundreds of fire deaths. Available at: Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/15987599.Warning_paraffin_based_skin_creams _may_be_linked_to_hundreds_of_fire_deaths/ • Huffington Post UK (2018). Paraffin-based skin creams pose fire risk. Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/paraffin-based-skin-creams-fire- risk_uk_5a7da135e4b08dfc93031daa • Irish Mirror (2018). Terrifying way you could accidentally cause a fire with skin cream. Available at: https://www.irishmirror.ie/lifestyle/health/terrifying-way-you-could-accidently-12006744 • Leeds Live (2018). Fire crews rescue five-year-old from blaze. Available at: https://www.leeds- live.co.uk/news/leeds-news/fire-crews-rescue-five-year-14277330 • Metro (2018). Fears skin creams are causing house fires. Available at: http://metro.co.uk/2018/02/11/fears-skin-creams-causing-house-fires-7303824/ • Mirror (2018). Terrifying way you could accidentally cause a fire with skin cream. Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/terrifying-way-you-could-accidently-12006744 • NewBeauty (2018). Paraffin in skin creams may be flammable. Available at: https://www.newbeauty.com/blog/dailybeauty/11915-parafin-flammable/ • News.com.au (2018). Popular skin creams linked to hundreds of fire-related deaths. Available at: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/face-body/popular-skin-creams-linked-to- hundreds-of-firerelated-deaths/news-story/fd7c1f38692921674d53a34b613b71f5 • Newshub (2018). Eczema creams may have contributed to hundreds of fire deaths. Available at: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/health/2018/02/eczema-creams-may-have-contributed- to-hundreds-of-fire-deaths-firefighters.html • Newsweek (2018). Hundreds of fire deaths in UK linked to paraffin-based skin creams. Available at: http://www.newsweek.com/hundreds-fire-deaths-uk-have-been-linked-skin-creams- containing-paraffin-802745 • Refinery29 UK (2018). Skin cream house fire deaths linked to paraffin. Available at: http://www.refinery29.uk/2018/02/190554/skin-cream-house-fire-deaths-paraffin • The Independent (2018). Hundreds of fire deaths linked to skin creams, firefighter warns. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/hundreds-fire-deaths-linked-skin- creams-firefighter-bbc-eczema-a8205386.html • Yahoo News UK (2018). Hundreds of fire deaths in UK linked to skin creams. Available at: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hundreds-fire-deaths-u-k-151419111.html Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46 Annex B – Local learning South Yorkshire fire and rescue service South Yorkshire fire and rescue service Emollient awareness sessions South Yorkshire fire and rescue service have delivered partnership training sessions utilising NFCC guidance. These sessions focus on referring vulnerable individuals for Home Fire Safety Visits, but they also include key messaging around emollient products fire safety. These Fire Safety Awareness Sessions cover emollient risks, using a case study alongside information on smoking and proximity to heat sources. Since 2021, all attendees have received an Emollient A5 leaflet as part of the post-training email. From June 2024 onwards, an Emollient A4 information sheet for health and care professionals was provided. Partnership Sessions Registered office: National Fire Chiefs Council Limited, 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, United Kingdom, WC2H 9JQ. Registered in England as Limited Company No. 03677186. Registered in England as Charity No. 1074071. VAT Registration No. 902 1954 46
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