The Lead Untangles: How extreme heat is impacting our health service

Clinicians and healthcare professionals saw the human cost of the heatwave last month – but risk suspension for climate protests

Photo by Jon Foster on Unsplash

The climate crisis means that UK summers have been becoming hotter and drier for some time now. But little has been done to mitigate the impact of higher temperatures on hospitals and clinics.

In today’s The Lead Untangles, we take a look at the human cost of heatwaves and how they are impacting our National Health Service.

Context

The UK Health Security Agency issued a red ‘heat health alert’ in the June heatwave for temperatures that pose ‘significant risk to life’ even to those not considered to be at risk in hot weather.

A couple of weeks ago, the UKHSA estimated there were 2,877 excess deaths associated with the heatwaves 24-27 May and 21-28 June. Last year the sum total for the summer was just 1,504. The record for the UK was for 2022, when 2,985 heat-associated deaths were observed across 5 heat episodes. Given both May and June have nearly reached that figure, 2026 is on track to make a new record.

Whose health is at risk in hot weather?

People under 5 and over 65 struggle to cope with heat compared with adults, as do pregnant people.

Some medications make it harder to regulate things like hydration, sweating and body temperature: for example SSRI antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure medicine, insulin and antipsychotics (for use in schizophrenia and dementia).

The NHS warned that people with heart, respiratory, kidney and mobility problems should all consider themselves at higher risk in heatwaves. People with diabetes, Parkinson’s and substance use problems may also struggle.

Homeless people are at higher risk because of a lack of access to water and cool spaces.

People without pre-existing conditions are at higher risk if they work outside, or spend time outside exercising.

The NHS also warns that people living alone are at higher risk in a heatwave if they are unable to care for themselves – for instance due to mobility or cognitive problems.

How are doctors coping?

A survey of more than 1,100 doctors and healthcare workers by Doctors’ Association UK found that 83 per cent of respondents described their workplace as ‘very hot’ or ‘dangerously hot’. Some 94 per cent worked without air conditioning and 68 per cent of respondents said the heat had affected patient safety.

The same survey asked doctors and nurses to record the temperature at work and one participant reported 45C.

The UK’s independent adviser on climate change published a report in May saying air conditioning should be installed in all care homes and hospitals within the next ten years, but the majority of NHS workers need these adaptations now.

In the June heatwave, vulnerable patients were encouraged to stay home for their own safety, resulting in cancelled appointments and creating a backlog for clinicians. Some hospitals declared critical incidents as cooling units and equipment such as scanners stopped working, again creating a backlog for services.

Yesterday a UN ambassador used an article in the Health Service Journal to call for the government to create a summer version of the winter pressures strategy, first introduced in 2013/14. Importantly, extra funding was attached to help services cope.

How are other countries coping?

The UK is not alone in this. Europe has already recorded over 10,000 excess deaths this summer, of which over 5,700 in France, 5,000 in Germany and 1,222 in Belgium.

The death toll shows the urgent need for adaptations to homes and infrastructure across the continent. For example, researchers estimated that Australia recorded around 1,000 deaths over four years in a population of around 28 million. By contrast the UK has nearly tripled that number in a single year for a population of around 70 million.

What have doctors and nurses said about the heatwave?

Dr Alice Clack, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and member of Health for XR, said: “Experiencing this year’s heatwave has been deeply distressing.”

Dr Naomi Adelson, a GP in London who’s also a member of Health for XR, said many patients’ homes are not designed to cope with extreme heat: “The heatwaves just seem never-ending this summer and they hit the most vulnerable hardest. We urgently need adaptation of homes and public buildings to protect our population and reduce the strain on the NHS.”

Two weeks ago the Royal College of Nursing said that employers must commit to basics like providing access to drinking water and allowing them breaks during heatwaves.

RCN Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing, Kim Sunley, said: “The heatwave shows little sign of slowing down in parts of the UK.

“This summer, we told our members the key actions employers should be taking to keep them safe. With temperatures still regularly topping 30 degrees, the need for this is greater than ever. Health and care employers have a legal duty to protect staff and must get the basics right.”

Are doctors and nurses allowed to campaign for climate solutions?

Yes and no. Technically, nothing stops clinicians protesting in a personal capacity.

But since 2022, registered doctors have been suspended and even imprisoned for climate protests that hit the news.

Dr Patrick Hart, a GP from Bristol, was imprisoned for a year. He became the first doctor to face a medical tribunal and have his licence to practice suspended as a consequence.

Dr Sarah Benn, also a GP, went to prison for 32 days for taking part in Just Stop Oil protests in 2022. She is still suspended from practicing.

A third GP, Dr Diana Warner, also had her licence suspended.

There is a fast-increasing awareness of the urgency of the situation amongst healthcare workers in the UK, particularly as individuals are directly affected by global heating.

Dr Matt Lee is the sustainability lead for Doctors’ Association UK and a hospital doctor in Wales.

He’s volunteered and worked in the area of climate change and human health for a number of years. Nevertheless he has been alarmed by the temperatures this summer: “It still came as a shock having to prepare a ‘just-in-case’ evacuation bag whilst watching wildfire smoke from my house.

“The realities of climate change and what it means for our friends and family are feeling closer than ever. While it motivates me to keep advocating for climate action, I worry about what the future holds for my loved ones and those who I care for in hospital.”

What next?

Doctors may have been disappointed by health secretary Yvette Cooper’s response. Earlier today she told LBC that the NHS must ‘prepare’ for heatwaves, but made no reference to new strategy or funding to prevent heatwave deaths. Another heatwave has been forecast for mid-August and time is running out for the government to announce emergency support to prevent further deaths. Last year the heat episode with highest mortality occurred in August, with those aged 75 and over at greatest risk. Hospitals registered significant deaths in this period.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for higher taxes on oil and gas profits to fund wildfire prevention. In his speech he specifically highlighted the risk posed to older people and those with pre-existing conditions. He framed the speech as a ‘reality check’ for the new Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister has made no notable announcements on the UK heatwave since he came into his new role on 20 July. Fears emerged that he would revoke the ban on North Sea exploration licences for oil companies but he has maintained the ban to date, despite showing some support for UK oil and gas.

A coalition of MPs and public figures has also called for a ‘National Emergency Briefing’ to address the impact of the heatwaves, but its petition has not yet reached the threshold for a parliamentary debate.

Without firm funding commitments to adapting houses and hospitals, the NHS is unlikely to be able to affect the number of excess deaths next summer. ■

About the author: Ellie Broughton has over 12 years’ experience writing about health and wellbeing for titles including The Guardian, the i paper, the Huffington Post, Lifehacker, patient.info, Stylist, The Independent, Refinery29 UK and Vice UK.

About The Lead Untangles: In an era where misinformation is actively and deliberately used by elected politicians and where advocates and opposers of beliefs state their point of view as fact, sometimes the most useful tool reporters have is to help readers make sense of the world. If there is something you’d like us to untangle, email zoe@thelead.uk

👫Found this edition of The Lead Untangles useful? Share it with your friends, family and colleagues to help us reach more people with our independent journalism, always with a focus on people, policy and place.

Get the next instalment of The Lead Untangles direct to your inbox as part of our focus on climate and environment and also get 30 per cent off an annual subscription (usually £49, use this link to get it for £34.30 instead) to help us combat misinformation.