NHS manages record A&E demand and heatwave pressure

The NHS faced unprecedented pressure in July due to a summer surge and extreme heatwaves, with A&E attendances reaching a record 2.5 million. Despite these challenges, performance metrics showed notable improvements. In England, the percentage of patients seen, treated, or discharged from A&E within four hours rose to 75.4%. Additionally, elective care performance against the 18-week target reached its highest level since September 2021, with 65.8% of patients treated within the timeframe.

In London, the heatwave saw temperatures reaching 38°C, driving 434,000 A&E attendances and nearly 134,000 ambulance call-outs in July. London's A&E performance remained steady at 77.6% for the four-hour target. To manage the heat, trusts like Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust deployed portable air conditioning units to support frontline staff.

Ambulance services also managed high volumes, with 829,675 incidents handled nationally in July. Category 2 ambulance response times improved by over two minutes compared to the previous month. The NHS also reported a record 2.65 million diagnostic tests conducted in June as part of efforts to reduce waiting lists, which fell to 7.27 million.