Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of heatwaves on demand for NHS services.

A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the National Health Service and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year

NHS England recognises that extreme heat is now predicted to be a routine seasonal risk, rather than an exceptional event, and is committed to sharing key learnings from the recent period of hot weather to help further mitigate against any challenges.