NHS continues to deliver as temperatures and demand soar

The NHS has faced record demand during a summer of extreme heat, with hospitals, ambulance services and diagnostic teams all coming under increased pressure

Despite the challenges, new figures show that NHS staff have continued to treat more patients and make progress in tackling waiting times.

Record demand at A&E

Accident and emergency departments recorded 2.5 million attendances in July, the highest monthly figure ever recorded. The three busiest months for A&E have now all occurred between May and July, highlighting the exceptional pressure services have faced this summer.

Two heatwaves contributed to the increase in demand, with more outdoor activity leading to additional accidents and dry weather contributing to respiratory problems. Hot conditions can also make existing health conditions worse, particularly among older and clinically vulnerable people.

Despite the record number of patients arriving at A&E, 75.4% were seen, treated or discharged within four hours in July. This was an improvement on June.

Ambulance services also under pressure

Ambulance teams responded to 829,675 incidents during July, making it the fourth-highest monthly total on record and the second-highest figure recorded outside winter.

The number of 999 calls answered also increased, reaching 898,503, which was 6.5% higher than in July last year.

However, ambulance response times showed signs of improvement. Category 2 response times fell by two minutes and 42 seconds compared with the previous month, dropping below 30 minutes despite the unusually high demand.

Progress on waiting lists

Alongside the pressure on emergency services, the NHS has made progress in planned treatment.

The waiting list fell to 7.27 million, despite a record number of patients being referred for treatment. In June, 65.8% of patients waiting for planned care were treated within 18 weeks, marking the best performance against the target since September 2021.

Diagnostic services also reached a record level, carrying out more than 2.65 million tests and checks in June. The increase in diagnostic activity is part of wider efforts to identify conditions earlier and get patients onto treatment pathways more quickly.

Preparing for future heatwaves

The latest figures have also highlighted the growing impact extreme summer temperatures can have on the NHS.

With heatwaves becoming an additional source of pressure alongside the usual winter demands, there are calls for summer planning to become a greater priority. This could include ensuring hospitals have sufficient staff, beds and emergency capacity to deal with periods of exceptionally high demand.

The NHS has also introduced measures to make working conditions more comfortable for staff during periods of extreme heat.

With temperatures reaching their peak, the public is being encouraged to stay hydrated, avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day and check on older or vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours.