NHS summer situation report: Amid “twin crisis” with winter, how did the health service cope in 2026’s heatwaves?

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The NHS experienced its busiest summer on record as heatwaves exceeding 38°C prompted red heat-health alerts and strained hospitals and infrastructure. Health leaders say the UK must prepare for recurring summer pressure alongside the winter crisis, amid long-term underfunding and rising temperatures.

This summer was the busiest ever for the NHS, officials have said.1Record breaking heatwaves exceeding 38°C piled pressure on services and tested ailing infrastructure to the limit.Such was the danger that in June that officials issued “red” heat health alerts,2 reserved for the most life threatening events. This was only the second time these alerts have been triggered since the system was established in 2004.As the mercury soared, a string of NHS trusts declared critical incidents as hospitals struggled to cope.3With extreme heat now a common occurrence in the UK, health leaders warn that the NHS is now facing a twin summer and winter crisis that requires an equal level of planning.BMA council chair Tom Dolphin said, “This summer was the worst yet, but going forward this won’t be exceptional, it will be the norm. Record temperatures coupled with long term underresourcing in health systems resulted in an NHS reaching...