Rising temperatures and extreme weather events have led to healthcare delivery disruptions in the UK. A heatwave in 2022 saw two data centres in London fail, taking down most clinical IT systems at Guys and St Thomas' trust. This event was not a one-off – 49% of healthcare workers, surveyed by MedAct, reported NHS services being disrupted by extreme weather over the past five years.
The new report from the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change – Building a Climate-Resilient Health System in the UK – calls on the UK and devolved governments to urgently put measures in place that enable the NHS's adaptation to climate change. The report says governments of the UK must:
- Invest in NHS adaptation initiatives
- Improve workforce preparedness for extreme weather events
- Integrate climate adaptation strategies into health policies
- Implement adequate adaptation planning for the NHS's response to climate risks.
The report warns that failure to act risks further disruptions to NHS service delivery and disregards patient and staff safety.
In response, Dr Mark Harber, special adviser on sustainability at the Royal College of Physicians, said: ‘Climate change is no longer tomorrow's problem. Increasing heat-related deaths and the spread of infectious diseases show that its effects are already being felt across the UK. This report serves as a reminder that climate change is one of the biggest threats to health, and the NHS must be prepared to respond to its growing impacts.
‘Investing in NHS infrastructure to prevent our hospitals from overheating during high temperatures and equipping our workforce to respond to climate-related risks must be prioritised with urgency. Without committed and sustained action, we risk leaving the NHS – and the communities it serves – unprepared for the significant health challenges posed by a changing climate.'
Rose Gallagher, lead for sustainability at the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘This report should set alarm bells ringing in the ears of UK governments and healthcare leaders. The unfolding climate emergency is present with its effects being felt by health and care services. Increased flooding, heatwaves, changing disease patterns, and weather conditions that can exacerbate chronic conditions like cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses are adding pressures to an already overstretched system.
‘Decisive and visible action to tackle this cannot wait as health and care services risk being overwhelmed by an even greater risk with an ever-increasing number of preventable health issues. Without the investment and decisive and visible action to tackle this, our health services will be unable to meet the expectations placed on them and we may not be able to catch up on the damage that has already been done.'
