Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has advised for elective procedures to be halted over periods of extreme heat to ensure that there is sufficient bed capacity for people who are medically unwell as a result of the heat.

No such advice has been given. NHS England works with local National Health Service organisations to plan and prioritise resources to meet the needs of patients.

The updated ‘Heatwave Plan for England’ aims to prepare, alert and protect people from the preventable health impacts from severe heat through advice for the NHS, local authorities, social care and other public agencies.