Doctors and health experts are urging the government to take immediate action to protect the NHS from the growing threat of extreme heat, as the UK faces another record-breaking heatwave. In a letter to The Guardian, Dr Mark Harber, special adviser on healthcare sustainability and climate change at the Royal College of Physicians, warned that little has changed since he first raised the alarm last year, despite clear evidence of rising demand and overheating incidents in hospitals.
NHS England data shows a 53% surge in overheating incidents between 2016-17 and 2023-24, with significant spikes in demand among the very young, elderly, and those with chronic conditions. The UK Health Security Agency has issued a rare red heat alert for parts of England, signalling a serious threat to lives. The last red alert, in 2022, coincided with five heatwaves that caused an estimated 2,985 excess deaths in England alone.
Dr Harber described the situation as a "patient-safety crisis" and a "matter of national urgency", calling for investment in building upgrades, workforce preparedness, and resilience planning. "The climate crisis is a health crisis," he wrote. "We have had warnings. We are seeing the consequences. The government must now act."
Other readers highlighted wider failures in adaptation. Retired teacher Sarah James criticised the closure of schools during the heatwave, arguing that sending children home could expose them to cramped, overheated homes without outdoor space. She called for a national emergency response to ensure children are properly cared for.
Meanwhile, concerns were raised about London's vulnerability to heatwaves, with rail services disrupted and transport networks struggling. One reader noted that the success of air-quality policies shows governments can act decisively, and urged similar determination to adapt cities to a changing climate.
