Healthcare professionals across the UK are reporting significant health impacts from extreme heat conditions experienced throughout the summer. An emergency medicine consultant at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge notes that falls among elderly patients have become a major concern in emergency departments during periods of elevated temperatures. These incidents often result in serious injuries, with affected individuals taking extended periods to recover from fractures.
The consultant attributes many of these falls to medications commonly prescribed to older patients, such as diuretics and blood pressure medications, which can cause dizziness and light-headedness in hot weather. Beyond falls, extreme heat is contributing to other medical complications including kidney failure related to dehydration, drowning incidents as people seek relief in unsupervised water locations, and exacerbation of existing breathing problems and chronic health conditions.
National health statistics underscore the severity of heat-related illness this year. The first two heatwaves in May and June resulted in an estimated 2,877 deaths according to UK Health Security Agency figures, nearly double the 1,504 heat-related deaths recorded throughout all of 2025. In July alone, NHS England reported that 2.5 million people attended accident and emergency departments, with extreme temperatures cited as a contributing factor.
Healthcare staff themselves face significant challenges during heat events. Medical professionals treating patients with infectious diseases must wear full protective equipment, which becomes particularly uncomfortable in elevated temperatures and restricts the duration of patient care. Hospital infrastructure poses additional constraints, as many facilities lack adequate air conditioning and ventilation, with infection control concerns limiting the installation of cooling systems. Nursing staff report inadequate provision of cooling equipment and uniforms unsuitable for hot conditions, with some purchasing their own lighter clothing to cope with workplace heat exposure.
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