Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS has written to the Welsh Health Minister to raise concerns over A&E capacity and patient welfare during the extreme heat predicted for the coming week.
With temperatures in Wales predicted to reach over 35 degrees and possibly 40+ in the Marches border regions there is a concern A&E departments could be overwhelmed and patients could be left waiting in the heat.
Commenting Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:
“The NHS in Wales is already under great stress, even before COVID and the extreme heat warning.
“While we all of course have a personal responsibility to do our bit and avoid placing unnecessary strain on the NHS at this time by staying hydrated and taking sensible precautions against the heat, but it is also important that the Government and Welsh Health Boards take action to mitigate against potential risks to patient safety.
“A&E patients are regularly having to wait hours in ambulances outside busy hospitals or in corridors inside hospitals. Obviously, in the extreme heat, this would raise significant concerns for patient welfare.
“We recognise the pressures the extreme heat will not only have on patients, but also on medical and support workers.
“In the bigger picture, the extent of the extreme heat predicted shows the terrifying impact climate change is having on our lives. We must continue to go further and faster to work towards a zero-carbon economy and to put in place mitigation measures, for example, increased tree coverage in urban areas.”
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