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Warning of NHS heatwave crisis on hottest day of the year Hospitals in England face heatwave crisis on hottest day of the year
(about 2 hours later)
Labour has said health problems caused by the UK heatwave are creating a summer crisis for the NHS, as the temperature reached 33.9C and made Thursday the hottest day of the year so far. Some hospitals in England have had record numbers of people attending A&E amid a summer crisis, NHS trusts have said, as the UK experienced its hottest day of the year.
The Met Office has said temperatures in the south-east of England could surpass the previous all-time high of 38.5C on Friday, before thunderstorms break the lengthy hot and dry spell. In Charlwood, Surrey, the temperature reached 33.9C on Thursday. The mercury reached 35C (95F) on Thursday at Heathrow, west London, and is expected to go even higher before thunderstorms bring some relief. The Met Office says the all-time record of 38.5C could be exceeded in south-east England on Friday.
The weather has raised public health concerns, particularly for people who are vulnerable and those with respiratory problems exacerbated by the high levels of air pollution that have accompanied the high temperatures. The weather has brought with it serious concerns about health as higher temperatures increase the probability of dying from cardiac, kidney and respiratory diseases for some people, with associated higher air pollution also posing a risk.
The shadow health secretary, John Ashworth, said that while winter crises in the NHS had become commonplace in recent years, it was time to face up to the impact the heat was having on A&E departments. Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said on Thursday: “The heatwave has meant that in some places at least, we’re back to winter conditions – in hospitals, community, mental health and ambulance services - and although fewer staff are off sick there are more away on holiday.
“I am very worried about the impact on the NHS of this summer,” he told ITN News. “We know that this hot weather, and this is possibly going to be the hottest day of the year, affects very elderly, vulnerable people. We know that asthma sufferers suffer particularly badly in this weather. “Some trusts are reporting record numbers of people coming in to A&E, with increased emergency admissions, often for respiratory problems and conditions made worse by dehydration. We have heard concerns about large numbers of people from care homes requiring treatment.
“Our NHS is under pressure similar to the sorts of pressure it can be under in the winter. I am very worried about whether the NHS can cope right now.” “This extra activity is leading to delays for patients requiring planned operations such as knee and hip replacements.”
Ashworth said he had shadowed an A&E consultant on Monday night and saw the impact of the hot weather first hand, “with lots of elderly, vulnerable people being admitted to A&E, lying on trollies because there’s no beds in the hospital”. She also warned that the heat had highlighted the shortcomings of aging buildings, which were not designed or equipped to deal with the conditions and were now suffering from past decisions to delay investment.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) called on the government to act to prevent a major public health crisis. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warned of a major public health crisis unless action was taken. It said sustainable new buildings were the solution in the future but said that in the short term patients and nurses needed to be protected through easy access to drinking water, relaxation of dress codes and effective ventilation systems.
Wendy Preston, the RCN’s head of nursing, said: “The heat is already affecting patients in health and social care settings up and down the country. Our members have reported people vomiting and passing out, and it is clear the UK’s healthcare infrastructure is simply not designed to deal with increasingly hot summers. Wendy Preston, the RCN’s head of nursing, said: “The heat is already affecting patients in health and social care settings up and down the country. Our members have reported people vomiting and passing out, and it is clear the UK’s healthcare infrastructure is simply not designed to deal with increasingly hot summers.”
“Simple steps can be taken now to improve things for patients and the nurses who care for them, including easy access to drinking water, easing dress codes and effective ventilation systems. But longer term we must start adapting, designing sustainable new buildings and new ways of working to keep people safe as the world warms.” The college also complainedthat some nurses were not allowed to take water bottles on to wards.
The college also said that nurses have reported feeling exhausted, sick and dizzy in the high temperatures. It also said some nurses were not allowed to take water bottles on to wards.
Kim Sunley, national officer at the RCN, said: “Nurses are now becoming patients themselves due to the heat. We have heard from one member who ended up in A&E suffering from dehydration after working 12-hour shifts back to back in temperatures exceeding 30C. Others have reported exhaustion, sickness and dizziness. This is not acceptable. Good patient care depends on nurses and clinical support assistants being well enough to perform their jobs effectively.”Kim Sunley, national officer at the RCN, said: “Nurses are now becoming patients themselves due to the heat. We have heard from one member who ended up in A&E suffering from dehydration after working 12-hour shifts back to back in temperatures exceeding 30C. Others have reported exhaustion, sickness and dizziness. This is not acceptable. Good patient care depends on nurses and clinical support assistants being well enough to perform their jobs effectively.”
The Met Office issued a level three, amber heat health watch warning on Monday, which acts as an alert to health providers that extreme temperatures are on the way. It was initially supposed to end at 9am on Friday but has been extended for 24 hours.The Met Office issued a level three, amber heat health watch warning on Monday, which acts as an alert to health providers that extreme temperatures are on the way. It was initially supposed to end at 9am on Friday but has been extended for 24 hours.
The NHS said demand for online health advice through its NHS Choices service had increased 450% year-on-year in July.
Ashworth called on the new health secretary, Matt Hancock, to reassure the public that there was a plan in place, with additional funding if necessary. The shadow health secretary, John Ashworth, said that while winter crises in the NHS had become commonplace in recent years, it was time to face up to the impact the heat was having on A&E departments.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “The government has robust plans in place to ensure patients and staff are cared for during a heatwave. Our heatwave plan for England contains measures to help organisations prepare, including a national alert system which PHE uses to flag imminent heatwaves. “The NHS is potentially facing a summer crisis with reports of staff forced to cope in sweltering heat while A&Es are again log jammed as more vulnerable patients including elderly people and children suffering from heat related problems turn to hospitals,” he said. “What’s more, there are disturbing reports that blood donations are running worryingly low.
“The Environmental Audit report finds that two years ago in a heatwave there were nearly 3,000 incidents of hospitals overheating and that summers like this will become the norm over the next 20 years. Quieter summer months are clearly a thing of the past, and the government must help the NHS adapt swiftly to the realities of year-round pressures.
“We need a serious comprehensive plan from ministers to support patients in overcrowded, hot wards and vulnerable elderly people in the community in this hot weather.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman defended the government’s existing “robust plans”. She said: “ Our heatwave plan for England contains measures to help organisations prepare, including a national alert system which PHE uses to flag imminent heatwaves.
“NHS England also has its own hot weather alert system in place, which helps individual trusts plan in advance and cope with any additional demand.”“NHS England also has its own hot weather alert system in place, which helps individual trusts plan in advance and cope with any additional demand.”
The heat has also put pressure on other emergency services. There were 56 fires on grass verges next to England’s motorways and major A-roads in the 10 days to Wednesday, Highways England reported.
London Fire Brigade commissioner, Dany Cotton, has written to all London councils requesting a temporary BBQ ban in public parks because of a record number of grass fires “across a tinder dry capital”. She said: “I am calling on all our partners to do whatever they can to help us protect London’s open spaces from devastating blazes.”
The extreme temperatures this summer have also affected transport with railway tracks buckling. There was misery for Eurotunnel passengers on Thursday, who faced delays of more than five hours after air conditioning units failed on trains.
The English end of the Folkestone-Calais link was worst affected, with the company warning on Thursday afternoon that customers faced queuing for up to 90 minutes just to check in and a further four hours for the next available slot.
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