Northampton hospital staff face down heatwave to bring care to patients

Staff at Northampton General have been taking on sweltering 12-hour shifts in the UK heatwave.

Yesterday, the hottest day of the year so far was recorded in the UK with temperatures hitting 35C in London and reaching 32C in Northampton.

The ongoing high temperatures in the UK has put strain on hospitals across the country as nurses and healthcare staff work 12 hours shifts on sweltering wards.

One nurse in a UK hospital this week reportedly passed out from heatstroke after working three shifts in a row.

Northampton General Hospital has responded by adapting its uniform policy for staff - for example, women do not have to wear tights - and bottled water is handed out to patients and workforce.

A spokeswoman for Northampton General Hospital said: “We’re very proud of the commitment and resilience of our staff who have continued delivering the best possible care to our patients throughout this period.

“The past few weeks of hot weather have proved very challenging for all of us as we not only strive to continue to deliver our work but also to minimise discomfort to our patients."

Air conditioning units have been leased and set up in hotter wards and where patients are particularly vulnerable.

Charities have also turned out in support by donating crates of bottled water to the hospital for patients.

A spokeswoman said: “We’re very grateful for the support of local businesses who have donated large quantities of bottled water which our volunteers have helped distribute across the hospital.

“Our local community can help by making sure to follow NHS advice to avoid dehydration and heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is not serious and usually gets better when you cool down. If people start to feel very unwell, and aren’t sure if they need medical help, they should phone NHS 111 free of charge for advice.”.