Staff absences due to COVID, difficulties caused by the hot weather and ongoing delays in delivering patients to A&E hospitals have combined to leave ambulance trusts struggling to cope. A ‘level four’ heat emergency – Britain’s first – could be declared as the government tries to tackle issues caused by the heatwave. That would mean conditions are so extreme that “illness and death may occur among the fit and healthy” as well as vulnerable people, according to the UK’s Health Safety Agency. If implemented, it could cause widespread disruption to health services, schools and even nuclear power plants. Ministers are said to be drawing up plans for such an eventuality and have held a COBRA crisis meeting in Downing Street. Temperatures in the UK – which have already reached 32C so far this week – are expected to rise further and could reach 40C for the first time. It comes after the Met Office issued an orange warning for extreme heat for parts of the UK on Sunday and Monday. This means that there may be danger to life or possible serious illness as a result of the weather. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 2:11 Sky’s science correspondent Thomas Moore looks at what’s causing this week’s extreme heat. A Met Office forecaster said parts of South East England could top 35C on Sunday – with a 30% chance of seeing the hottest temperature ever recorded in the UK. The highest temperature on record is 38.7C at Cambridge Botanic Gardens in July 2019. This week’s scorching heat is also wreaking havoc on the nation’s roads, with sandmakers being sent months earlier than usual to spread sand to stop highways from melting. Read more: What a national heat emergency could mean for the UK this week?Britain’s heat will become increasingly uncomfortable – and deadly for some Ambulances are struggling amid high demand All 10 ambulance trusts in England say they are at the highest alert level – REAP 4 (Resource Escalation Action Plan 4) – meaning they are under “extreme pressure”. West Midlands Ambulance Service said it had been at this level for a few months, while South Central Ambulance Service has declared a critical incident “due to the current pressures on our services”. He warned of delays in responding to patients with “less urgent needs” and urged those who can seek alternative treatment to do so. South East Coast Ambulance Service confirmed he was transferred to REAP 4 this week. A London Ambulance Service spokesman said it had moved to REAP 4 “as a result of continued demand on both our 999 and 111 services and with the hot weather set to continue over the coming days”. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust also confirmed it was on REAP 4, as were East Midlands Ambulance Service, East of England Ambulance Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service. A North West Ambulance Service spokesman said: “As a result of the recent warm weather and increased demand, we have decided to move up to Level 4 of our Resource Escalation Action Plan (REAP).” The North East Ambulance Service said it raised its alert level on Monday, as did the Welsh Ambulance Service. Meanwhile, people seeking to cool off in the baking heat have been urged to be careful after a teenager died in a canal. The body of 16-year-old Alfie McCraw from Wakefield was recovered on Monday, prompting a police warning about the dangers of open water swimming. How hot is your workplace? A group of MPs has urged the government to introduce a maximum working temperature to help protect workers from fatigue, infection, heat stroke and death. They are asking for a limit of 30C in most workplaces or 27C for those doing strenuous work guaranteed by law. Employers would have a legal obligation to introduce “effective control measures”, such as installing ventilation or moving staff away from windows and heat sources, according to the proposals.
