Research by the party found 500 and 470 people died in care homes and hospitals, respectively, yesterday due to excess heat, although the claims were disputed by the Government.

Health and social care Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Helen Morgan, said: ‘In light of soaring temperatures, the Government must ensure that our NHS and social care system are ready to keep people cool and well-cared for.

‘This starts with a legal requirement for air conditioning or cooling heat pumps in care homes and a taskforce that delivers guaranteed cool wards in our hospitals, to prevent further unnecessary deaths.'

House of Commons Library revealed in there were 4,451 NHS overheating incidents in 2023/24, a near 50% increase on 2016/17's figure of 2,980. A recent report from the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change found 90% of NHS buildings in England were vulnerable to overheating.

The Lib Dems called for a new legal requirement that all care homes provide air conditioning or alternative cooling systems and for establishing a ‘crumbling hospitals taskforce' to protect patients from deteriorating, unsafe and dangerously hot NHS buildings.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This reporting is misleading, alarmist and a wilful misrepresentation of data.

‘The figures quoted refer to patients who have died from complications attributed to excess heat, not deaths caused by excess heat in NHS settings.'

DHSC said NHS England provides guidance on ventilation for managing building temperatures along with support issued by EPRR (Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response) during heatwaves.

The department said it was investing £30bn over the next five years in maintenance upgrades and repairs to ensure all patients were treated in safe and comfortable settings.