NHS must plan for heatwaves like it does for winter, health secretary says

• NHS heatwave planning is currently inadequate compared to winter preparation protocols, requiring urgent development of comparable contingency strategies and resource allocation
• Recent surge in patient admissions and equipment failures during high temperatures demonstrate immediate clinical risks that demand systematic mitigation across NHS services
• Health secretary advocates for integrated heat health protocols similar to winter readiness, suggesting need for staff training, infrastructure upgrades, and coordinated emergency preparedness

The warning comes after the NHS sees a surge in patients and problems with equipment in high temperatures.

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