Nearly 1,000 people died in hospitals and care homes as a result of excess heat last year, worrying data shows – as ministers face calls to ‘heatproof the NHS’
Almost 1,000 people died in hospitals and care homes due to heat last year, alarming new research shows.
The Lib Dems called on the Government to “heatproof the NHS ” and bring in tough new laws forcing care homes to have air conditioning. Data from the House of Commons Library showed 496 deaths in care settings and 473 in hospitals, while over 350 died in their own homes in 2024.
It comes as the UK braces itself for another heatwave. There was a 145% increase in over-65s dying because of high temperatures between 2018 and 2023, data reveals. It comes after Gordon Brown blasts the return of ‘poverty of 60 years ago’ as he makes one big demand.
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Although over 470 people died in hospital as a result of heat, this does not mean they became ill as a result of high temperatures in NHS buildings. Lib Dem health and social care spokeswoman Helen Morgan, said: “It is appalling to think of our most vulnerable dying in what are meant to be safe settings simply because this country is ill-equipped to deal with heatwaves.
“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.”
She pointed to a steep rise in “overheating incidents” in NHS buildings. In 2023/24 there were 4,451 – nearly 50% higher than the 2,980 in 2016/17. These are recorded when temperatures in a hospital or healthcare centre pass 26C.
The Lib Dems have called for a new law requiring care homes to have air-conditioning or alternative cooling systems. They also want a ‘crumbling hospitals taskforce’ to look at ways of stopping NHS buildings becoming dangerously hot.
Hospital bosses should be ordered to draw up ‘cool wards’ for vulnerable patients, the Lib Dems said. This follows the party’s demand for community ‘cool hubs’ for public spaces with air-conditioning to help vulnerable people during heatwaves.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman 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.”
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