if someone at home depends on medical equipment or medications
This is preparedness guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your healthcare team now about what happens in a power cut or water outage. See the medical disclaimer for what this means.
If someone at home relies on powered medical equipment (home dialysis, oxygen, a ventilator, a feeding pump) or medicine kept in a fridge (insulin, some injections), a power cut or water outage can become urgent within hours or days.
Your plan needs three things: how long treatment can safely wait, a backup power source, and a list of who to call, starting with your healthcare team.
what to do now
Ask your healthcare team three questions
How long can treatment or medication safely be delayed? What is the earliest sign something is wrong? Where would you go if your usual unit lost power or water?
Register with the Priority Services Register
You qualify because someone at home relies on medical equipment. This gets early warning of planned outages and priority support if one happens.
Write down your safe timeframe
Some equipment can pause for hours, some for days, some not at all. Write it down and keep it somewhere you can find it in a crisis (your phone, your bag, the fridge door).
Know the warning signs
Ask your healthcare team what symptoms mean you need help right now, not tomorrow. Know the phone numbers for NHS 111 (urgent), 999 (emergency), and your GP.
Look at backup power now
A battery backup or portable power station can keep equipment running for a while; check how many watts it needs. A generator must only run outdoors, away from windows. Never run a car in a garage to charge anything.
Keep a week of medicines in hand
Order repeat prescriptions about a week before you run out, so there is always a week spare. If you do run out, a pharmacist can sometimes give an emergency supply. Store medicines somewhere cool and dry, not the bathroom.
Make a card with your medical information
Your condition, current medicines, allergies, NHS number, who to call and your nearest hospital. Carry it with you and keep a copy at home.
what to have ready
Check what you already have first, then buy only what is missing.
Backup power for equipment
A battery backup (UPS) or portable power station. A generator only if it can run outdoors, away from windows.
Choose one on Amazon: Backup power for equipment (opens in a new tab)Medical summary card
Your condition, medicines, allergies and emergency contacts, to carry with you.
Choose one on Amazon: Medical summary card (opens in a new tab)Extra supply of medications
Order repeat prescriptions early so there is always a week in hand.
Choose one on Amazon: Extra supply of medications (opens in a new tab)Thermos or cool box
If medicine needs to stay cool and the fridge is off, a cool box buys time. Keep insulin off direct contact with ice packs: it must not freeze.
Choose one on Amazon: Thermos or cool box (opens in a new tab)
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where this comes from
- Priority Services Register: who can join, Energy networks and water companies
- NHS 111: urgent care, NHS
- How to get an emergency supply of medicine, NHS
Sources checked 25 September 2026.