UK Hospitals Declare Critical Incidents Amid Record Heat
At least two UK hospitals have declared critical incidents as a rare red warning for extreme heat continues, with Europe engulfed by deadly heatwaves. Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust both declared critical incidents on Wednesday.
At Least 250 Dead Across Europe
Heatwaves have gripped numerous European nations, with at least 250 people believed to have died as a result of extreme temperatures. France recorded its hottest ever day on Wednesday, with highs exceeding 40°C.
UK Breaks June Temperature Records
The UK set a new June temperature record on Thursday for the second consecutive day. The Met Office reported temperatures reached 36.4°C at Yeovilton, Somerset, provisionally making it the UK's hottest June day on record. This surpasses the previous record set on Wednesday (36.1°C in Gosport, Hampshire) and the long-standing June record from 1976.
NHS and Ambulance Services Under Strain
The extreme heat caused widespread disruption across the NHS. London Ambulance Service recorded the highest number of life-threatening emergencies in its history, driven by the extreme heat. Ambulance crews responded to a record 642 category one calls on Wednesday amid the red warning. Category one incidents include the most serious, life-threatening injuries and illnesses such as cardiac arrests and patients who are not breathing.
Chief executive Jason Killens said: “We have seen the highest number of life-threatening emergencies in our history, driven by the extreme heat across London. Our crews are working very hard in challenging conditions to care for patients, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our people for their incredible hard work. Please help them to help you by taking care of yourself and others – stay out of the sun and keep hydrated.”
Wednesday was the fifth busiest day in the service’s history, with 7,900 calls in total and ambulance crews responding to nearly 3,600 patients.
