Revealed: More than 1,000 NHS operations cancelled due to record UK heatwaves
A Carbon Brief investigation reveals that over 1,000 NHS operations were cancelled in the UK due to record-breaking heatwaves in May and June 2026. The report highlights that hospitals are poorly prepared for extreme temperatures, which can cause equipment failure and threaten patient safety.
Why it matters
It underscores the growing strain climate change places on critical public infrastructure and healthcare systems, necessitating urgent adaptation strategies.
More than 1,000 operations at NHS hospitals were cancelled due to heat during the UK’s record May and June heatwaves , Carbon Brief can reveal.
This includes 167 orthopaedic surgeries, such as knee and hip replacements, as well as heart, eye and skin cancer operations.
At least 10 emergency surgeries – those for “life-threatening” conditions – had to be cancelled because of the record-breaking heat, according to the investigation.
Carbon Brief sent freedom-of-information (FOI) requests to 140 NHS trusts to investigate the impact of heatwaves on operations being cancelled in England and Wales.
Areas with the most operations cancelled due to heat include Surrey and Sussex, south Essex and parts of London – all regions experiencing among the highest temperatures.
High temperatures can threaten patient safety by stopping the ventilation systems used in theatres from working, increasing the risk of infection, experts tell Carbon Brief.
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