Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has instructed the National Health Service (NHS) to prepare for recurring heatwaves in a manner similar to its established winter planning. Speaking amid record-breaking summer temperatures, Cooper highlighted a significant rise in accident and emergency (A&E) admissions linked to the heat, with patient numbers reaching levels typically seen during winter months when seasonal illnesses place additional strain on the healthcare system.
Cooper told LBC radio that A&E departments have reported a sharp increase in patients related to heat exposure, describing the situation as comparable to pressures historically experienced in colder months. She emphasized the need for the NHS to develop robust summer strategies to address these challenges, noting that heatwaves represent a novel but increasingly frequent demand on healthcare services.
Winter periods have traditionally overwhelmed NHS resources due to spikes in flu and respiratory infections. For instance, in January 2026, more than 71,500 patients experienced waits exceeding 12 hours on hospital trolleys—a 40% increase compared to the previous month and the highest figure recorded since data collection began in 2010. Despite the NHS conducting worst-case scenario simulations ahead of that winter, the system faced significant operational difficulties, revealing vulnerabilities that health officials aim to mitigate in future seasonal surges.
Cooper stressed the importance of identifying and supporting vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, who are most at risk during extreme heat events. She called for improved discharge processes to free hospital capacity more efficiently while outlining plans to enhance the NHS’s overall resilience against heat-related pressures. “We need a much clearer assessment now of what that means, what the pressures are going to be, what management needs to be in place to cope,” she said.
Additionally, Cooper indicated that a public health awareness campaign is under consideration to encourage communities to look after individuals susceptible to heat-related illness, aiming to reduce preventable hospital admissions during hot weather.
A recent study by researchers at Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimated approximately 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales during two recent heatwaves in May and June, which saw temperatures peak at 35.1C and over 37C, respectively, accompanied by high humidity levels.
The UK Health Security Agency has warned that 2026 is likely to witness the highest number of heat-associated deaths on record, potentially exceeding figures recorded in 2022 when its monitoring of heat-related mortality began. The increasing frequency and severity of heatwaves present a growing public health challenge that the NHS is now working to address alongside its traditional winter preparedness efforts.