Heatwave putting strain on NHS staff and services

NHS bosses have warned that the heatwave will put additional strain on NHS staff and services, with the NHS braced for a surge in the numbers of people admitted to hospital.

The first ever red alert has been issued by the Met Office, in anticipation of record-breaking temperatures.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has upped its heat health warning from level three to level four - indicating a "national emergency". Level four indicates a heatwave so severe that its effects extend outside of the health and social care system to areas such as power or water shortages.

New health minister, Steve Barclay told the BBC: “We’re putting in extra measures in terms of call handlers, support for fleet [and] extra hours of capacity within the ambulances.

“Each ambulance trust has well-developed contingency plans for extreme weather.

“We’re also working with the hospitals to get the handovers from ambulances into hospitals, but also to ensure that where people can be moved on to the wards themselves, we’re using the full capability of the hospital rather than people waiting longer than they need to in ambulances outside.”

He also urged people to seek shade, drink lots of water and keep an eye out for neighbours and the vulnerable.

In response to operational concerns about the heatwave, the director of policy and strategy and interim deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin, said:

"The rising temperatures will be challenging for many people with underlying conditions, older people and children.

"Trusts are expecting additional pressures on urgent and emergency care pathways with possible disruption to some planned care.

"A lot of the NHS estate is run down and scarcely equipped to deal with business as usual, never mind heatwave conditions.

"Part of the challenge is building design, part is maintenance and part is the stress of running relentlessly at or beyond full capacity.

"This is placing additional strains on hard pressed staff.

"The conditions are also making it hard to keep key services running. For example we're hearing that some operating theatres are having to be stood down because they’re getting too hot.

"Another sensitive area is IT server rooms in buildings where the air conditioning is already overstretched.

"Trusts are doing all they can to keep patients safe and comfortable at a time of extraordinary demand.

"The next few days will be extremely challenging."