New analysis from the Met Office, Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine estimates that around 2,700 excess deaths occurred across England and Wales during the May and June heatwaves, the London Ambulance Service said on 13 July 20261.
The service said the June heatwave brought the busiest week in its history, with more than 53,000 emergency calls, surpassing demand seen during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and a record number of Category 1 incidents, which include cardiac arrests and patients who had stopped breathing1. It deployed 600 additional ambulance crews across London, and extra paramedics were treating patients over the phone in the 999 control room's clinical hub1. Call handler Marcus Donnelly worked on what the service described as the busiest day in its history, 26 June1. Call handler Asha Patel said she took 90 calls on the Friday and 93 on the Saturday, against a previous high of 60 on a 12-hour shift1.
Alison Blakely, Deputy Chief Paramedic at London Ambulance Service, said:
"During the June heatwave, London Ambulance Service experienced the busiest week in its history and responded to a record number of Category 1 incidents, which includes cardiac arrests and patients who had stopped breathing."
Paramedic Mary Byrne said the service was seeing an increase in patients experiencing dizziness, vomiting and lethargy1. Donnelly described calls as "relentless, back-to-back", much of it down to heat exhaustion, with people who had underlying health conditions struggling1. Patel said she had a lot of heat related incidents, including people collapsing and heat stroke, and that people who were drinking alcohol were responding badly because of dehydration1.
Why it matters for households
The figures cover England and Wales and relate to the May and June heatwaves; the service said temperatures remain high at the time of publication1. The London Ambulance Service advised people to drink plenty of fluids, avoid the sun between 11am and 3pm, keep their homes as cool as possible and avoid excessive alcohol consumption1. It encouraged people to check on neighbours, relatives and friends who may be more vulnerable to the effects of the heat1. Blakely urged Londoners to take the heat seriously, stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activity such as running during the hottest parts of the day, as it puts extra strain on the heart and lungs1.
On using emergency services, the service said people should only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency, and that anyone who needs urgent medical advice should use NHS 111 or contact their GP1. Byrne said that if someone is experiencing difficulty in breathing, confusion or a reduced level of consciousness, people should call 999, and that anyone struggling in the heat can call NHS 111 to discuss their symptoms1. The service said its teams assess symptoms and, if appropriate, refer patients to a more appropriate service so that the sickest patients receive help quickest1.
The guide to who is most at risk in hot weather sets out which groups the authorities identify as more vulnerable, and the guide to why UK summers are getting hotter and drier covers the trend behind more frequent periods of extreme heat. Both sit within the site's heatwaves and drought section.
What happens next
No further dates have been announced. The service said temperatures remain high and that its crews are continuing to respond to demand1.
Who Is at Risk in Hot Weather
Why UK Summers Are Hotter
