The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) continues to highlight in the media the impact of this summer’s extreme heat on patients, healthcare staff, and NHS infrastructure.
DAUK’s sustainability lead Dr Matt Lee told national radio listeners that patients and staff in hospitals and GP surgeries had been experiencing ‘unbearable’ and ‘inhumane’ conditions.
Speaking to LBC, Dr Lee drew on findings from DAUK’s survey of healthcare professionals and their experiences during the June heatwave to describe the conditions facing staff and patients.
Extreme weather events
He said: “This is not the new normal. This is the latest baseline in extreme weather events, and things are only going to get worse unless we take decisive climate action.”
Dr Lee said the survey had found patients who had been brought in due to severe heat stroke who could not be treated properly because there is nowhere cool to lay them down.
It also heard of nurses collapsing, septic patients left in corridors with temperatures of 33C, and five separate reports of the heating still being on.
“That is absolutely inhumane,” he said.
Click here to hear part of Dr Lee’s interview on the DAUK Instagram.
Heatwave survey
The DAUK heatwave survey and its findings have also been featured by Bloomberg, Pharmacy Business, the BMJ, Doctors.Net, and on the Channel 5 debate programme Storm & Alexis.
It has also received international coverage including the South China Morning Post.
And Dr Lee spoke to the Lead about his own experience of having to prepare a ‘just-in-case evacuation bag’ while watching wildfire smoke from his home.
“The realities of climate change and what it means for our friends and family are feeling closer than ever,” he said.
Click here for previous media coverage of our heatwave survey and calls for a legal maximum workplace temperature.
Thank you
Dr Lee thanked NHS staff for taking part in the survey.
He said: “To the NHS staff who contributed to our survey, this media coverage of the conditions you have endured has only been possible because of people like you, our members and social media followers, who have taken the time to share their experiences with us.
“We hope you recognise the impact that you have had. It is your voices that have made the difference.
“We will continue to advocate for you on this genuinely life-threatening issue until we have the safe healthcare facilities that our patients, and all those who look after them, deserve.”
DAUK committee members are all volunteers and campaign on issues facing frontline doctors in their own time. Please support our work by joining DAUK or donating to our GoFundMe.
Photo credit: Neil Thomas on Unsplash