Extreme Heat: Resilience of NHS Infrastructure

Baroness Pidgeon Excerpts

Tuesday 30th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

We are already investing some £30 billion of capital across the NHS estate. I have mentioned the most serious infrastructure risks, which the noble Lord rightly refers to. While we accept the age of the estate and its size—I noted in preparing for this Question that we are talking about the equivalent of 4,000 football pitches—we also have a backlog of maintenance issues, which have grown and grown. We estimate that some £15.9 billion is needed. While there are no easy solutions, we do have a resilience plan not just for overheating but for all threats to resilience arising from temperature. We are also providing the funding—although, to the point the noble Lord makes, it is down to local decision-making—and ensuring that we are assisting the estate across the country to meet the challenges, the priority being those areas that need it most.

[Baroness Pidgeon (LD)]

My Lords, aside from the estate, patients on medications known to cause issues in extreme heat are not always being given specific advice on adjusting use of these during extreme weather and, as a result, have been admitted to hospital. What work is the department doing, particularly given that we have further hot weather coming, to ensure that patients receive the right advice and support to avoid hospital admissions as a result of such hot weather?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The recent heat health alert was the first alert since July 2022. Importantly, the UK Health Security Agency has updated its weather health alert system in order that action can be taken and preparations put in place. It has also expanded its guidance, communications and the training of staff across the health and social care sector, so they can better deal with the challenges.