Fit-for-purpose NHS buildings in soaring UK temperatures are not an optional extra.
This is according to Tim Lane, the new president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, who warns that the UK’s third heatwave highlights the urgent need for climate-resilient hospitals as temperatures exceed 30C again this week.
The impact of these high temperatures includes surgery being halted , leaving staff and patients alike suffering dehydration and dizziness.
Tim added that many operations are being delayed or cancelled because NHS buildings designed for a different era cannot cope with the heat, underscoring the urgent need for infrastructure upgrades to ensure safety and efficiency.
Writing an opinion piece for The Telegraph, he said: ‘Reports from across the country warn that high temperatures can affect the ability of health services to function, with hospital buildings at risk of overheating and pressure placed on both staff and infrastructure. In some operating theatres, humidity is so high that condensation collects on surgical instruments. Patients wait for surgery in rooms with only a small fan to keep cool. Just along the corridor, a radiator remains stubbornly stuck on. This is nothing extraordinary, nor is it an isolated incident. It is a symptom of a deeper problem: too many of our hospitals are no longer equipped to deal with the hot summers Britain now experiences.’
This week, a new study highlights the lethal impact of record-breaking temperatures during heatwaves in May and June across England and Wales, with hospitals and emergency services overwhelmed by critical incidents. Temperatures reached 35.1°C in May and 37.7°C in June, contributing to over 2,700 deaths – just over 40% directly linked to human-caused climate change – and marking the busiest day ever for the London Ambulance Service.
Speaking to fellow surgeons across the NHS, he noted in his exclusive article for The Telegraph on behalf of the Royal College of Surgeons that: ‘Operating theatres can be especially challenging environments during a heatwave. Surgeons work under intense lights, often wearing heavy protective equipment, while using specialist technology designed to keep patients warm during surgery. Theatres also depend on carefully controlled temperatures, humidity and ventilation to maintain safe conditions and reduce the risk of infection.
‘The consequences go far beyond discomfort. Dehydration, fatigue and dizziness become genuine concerns and, on occasion, staff need to step away mid-procedure to recover. In one hospital, excessive humidity even triggered a fire alarm, forcing operations to be cancelled.’
He also touched upon how healthcare infrastructure often fails during extreme heat, delaying or cancelling operations and making recovery areas uncomfortable.
Critical equipment, such as MRI scanners and dialysis machines, struggles to operate reliably, and he pointed out that the NHS, built largely for a different era with ageing buildings and outdated systems, faces increased heat and patient influx during heatwaves.
Staff resilience, he said, is not sustainable.
He concluded: ‘Fit-for-purpose NHS buildings and equipment, including cooling, ventilation and temperature-control systems that minimise carbon emissions and do not spread infections, are not an optional extra. They are fundamental to safe patient care. Until improvements are delivered, the NHS will remain at the mercy of the next heatwave.’
