We must be prepared for deadly heatwaves to get worse | Letter

Readers react to the brutal heat conditions affecting Britain and Europe Last summer, I wrote to you warning of the growing threat that extreme heat poses to both patients and the NHS, that the demand for healthcare would rise as temperatures climbed, that our hospitals were ill-equipped to cope and that investment in resilience was urgently needed (Letters, 21 July 2025). A year on, the UK is set for another record-breaking heatwave, yet little has changed. The UK Health Security Agency has also taken the rare step of issuing a red heat alert in parts of England – signalling a serious threat to lives (Report, 22 June). This marks only the second time that a red alert has been issued. The last, in 2022, coincided with five waves of extreme heat that combined to cause an estimated 2,985 excess deaths in England alone. NHS England data shows that between 2016-17 and 2023-24, there was a 53% surge in overheating incidents, showing clear evidence of a significant spike in demand for healthcare, especially among the very young and elderly people, and those with chronic conditions. For staff, it means stifling conditions that can exacerbate burnout, drive fatigue and increase the risk of