NHS staff responding to growing pressures as heatwaves impact performance
23 July 2026
The Welsh NHS Confederation responds to the NHS activity and performance statistics for May and June in Wales, which shows sustained pressure on services from prolonged hot weather.
Delivery and performance
Responding to the latest NHS activity and performance figures in Wales, assistant director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, Nesta Lloyd-Jones, said:
“Recent periods of prolonged, extreme heat should serve as a stark warning of the challenges the NHS now faces throughout the year, not just during the winter months.
“Sustained hot weather, coupled with pressures such as wildfires, places additional strain on frontline services and increases risks for patients, staff and the wider health and care system.
“Despite these challenges, NHS staff have worked tirelessly to respond to growing demand, including the busiest June on record for emergency department attendances in Wales.
“Targeted investment in measures such as improved ventilation and air conditioning in the NHS estate, alongside additional capacity, would help make the NHS and key partners such as local government, more resilient to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
“While performance in some areas of scheduled and unscheduled care deteriorated in May and June, it’s important not to lose sight of the longer-term progress made. Overall, referral-to-treatment pathways remain more than 100,000 lower than they were at the same point last year, and response times for the most serious life-threatening ambulance (purple) calls have met targets consistently for the past 12 months.
“The public can help too. During June’s heatwave, the Welsh Ambulance Service received more than 400 additional emergency calls each day. Warmer weather can contribute to incidents such as falls through dehydration, dizziness, low blood pressure, fatigue and reduced mobility. People should only call 999 in a genuine, life‑threatening emergency. Those who need advice for a minor illness or injury can use NHS 111 Wales online or try AIbot, the NHS Wales Digital assistant, to help access the right care, in the right place, at the right time.”
Read the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trusts’ advice about how the public can take extra care in the warm weather.