NHS reports busiest ever summer as heatwaves drive up hospital admissions
Health secretary says extreme demand no longer confined to winter as service in England warns of knock-on effects The NHS faced the “busiest summer in its history” as the UK experienced a series of heatwaves, health officials have said, while the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has risen to its highest level for nine months. The health secretary said “extreme demand” on the…
The National Health Service (NHS) in England has reported its busiest summer on record, driven by a series of heatwaves that resulted in unprecedented hospital admissions. The health secretary, Yvette Cooper, confirmed that extreme demand on the service is no longer limited to winter months, with NHS leaders warning that the current strain has never been faced during a summer.
From June to August 2025, A&E attendances reached nearly 7.3 million, a figure almost 1 million higher than the summer of 2022. Ambulances also handled a record number of callouts at around 2.4 million between these months. At the end of July, there were an estimated 7.33 million treatments waiting to be carried out, representing 6.21 million patients, the highest since October 2025.
Long waits for routine NHS hospital treatment have also increased, with 111,379 people waiting over a year for treatment as of July, up from 105,711 in June. However, only 65.4% of patients began hospital treatment within 18 weeks of referral in July, falling slightly from 65.8% in June but still above the government's target of 65% by March 2024.
Surgeons warn that meeting the Labour party's target of 92% of patients being seen within 18 weeks by July 2029 seems unlikely, even with the current pace of improvement. The King's Fund thinktank's Sarah Woolnough highlighted the twin crisis facing the NHS, attributing summer heat to a major pressure point alongside winter. She emphasized the need for climate resilience and prevention in health policy.
Dr Vicky Price, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, expressed concern over the relentless pressure on NHS staff, low morale, and the unresolved structural problems. Despite these challenges, the health secretary praised the dedication of NHS staff and affirmed government support through record investment and measures to aid services through both summer and winter pressures.
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