Key facts
- Health Secretary Yvette Cooper is implementing reforms for UK maternity care and NHS resilience to extreme heat.
- The NHS is urged to prepare for summer crises comparable to winter pressures due to rising temperatures.
- Infrastructure investment will focus on improving the NHS's ability to cope with heatwaves.
- Record heat-related deaths are anticipated this summer, highlighting the impact of climate change.
- There is a call for increased public awareness regarding heat risks, especially for vulnerable populations.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has warned the National Health Service (NHS) to prepare for annual summer crises driven by extreme heat, drawing parallels to the pressures typically experienced during winter.
Cooper stated that NHS staff are facing Accident & Emergency (A&E) pressures usually associated with flu season, emphasizing the need for greater resilience and significant investment in NHS infrastructure to combat the health service's vulnerability to high summer temperatures. Doctors have raised concerns about the impact of repeated heatwaves, including failures in medical equipment like radiotherapy machines and MRI scanners, and overheating wards.
England is projected to record its highest number of heat-related deaths this summer, with an estimated 2,877 deaths attributed to heatwaves in May and June alone. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has advised that hospitals and care homes should have air conditioning within a decade, and all schools by 2050, as summers are expected to become increasingly hot due to the climate crisis. Farmers have also warned of impacts on food security and drought conditions.
Cooper highlighted that rising global temperatures present unprecedented challenges for the NHS, noting her visits to A&E departments where staff described overcrowding due to heatwaves. She is collaborating with Chief Medical Officer Sir Chris Whitty on a public health campaign to inform people about the risks of extreme heat and encourage them to check on vulnerable relatives. The government is focusing on practical resilience measures, including building more reservoirs and improving water security, alongside emission reduction efforts.
Concerns have been raised about the pace of implementing air conditioning solutions, with MPs urging faster accreditation for air conditioning units to be included in the boiler upgrade scheme. July marked the driest month on record in southern England, following two record-breaking heatwaves that fueled drought and wildfires. The National Farmers’ Union has cautioned about potential food shortages due to drought and challenging planting conditions after winter floods. The current El Niño weather system is also contributing to supercharged temperatures.