NHS area declares critical incident amid heatwave

An NHS body has declared an area-wide critical incident due to the extreme hot weather.

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said rising temperatures had put the entire health system in the region under significant pressure.

It said the critical alert - the first in the south east of England during the current hot spell - was designed to trigger measures to maintain services, such as freeing up hospital beds.

South Central Ambulance Service and the two main hospital trusts in Southampton and Portsmouth have also declared critical incidents, it said.

Both Southampton General Hospital and Queen Alexandra (QA) Hospital in Portsmouth have cancelled a number of planned appointments.

The QA declared a critical incident following the failure of chiller units on Wednesday.

In an update, it said: "Whilst the chiller units are up and running, the exceptionally hot weather has meant that cooling back down vital infrastructure is taking much longer than normal.

"Critical clinical and digital services are slowly returning but the extreme heat means this process is happening slowly.

"Patient safety remains our number one priority and so we have extended the critical incident to allow us to bring services back online in a safe and controlled way."

The trust said it has introduced temporary visitor restrictions "to support our staff on the wards and keep the environment safe and comfortable for all".

Paul Grundy, chief medical officer at University Hospital Southampton NHS trust, said the emergency department was under "substantial pressure".

"It's extremely hot in that environment, it's extremely busy and we're asking people please don't come to the emergency department unless you absolutely need to with life- or limb-threatening illness," he added.

NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight said healthcare services were experiencing high demand, as well as heat impacts on buildings and equipment.

It said both South Central Ambulance Service and the Isle of Wight Ambulance Service were dealing with a higher number of calls.

Dr Charlotte Hutchings from the NHS regional body thanked people for their patience and support during the extreme heat.

She said: "By taking precautions, choosing the most appropriate NHS service for your needs, and looking out for those who may be more vulnerable, you are helping to reduce pressure on health and care services."

A Met Office red warning for extreme heat is in place for Thursday and Friday.