London’s NHS meets record summer demand, now turns focus to winter resilience
London’s NHS services kept urgent care performance on track and ambulance response times steady despite facing the busiest and hottest summer on record, new figures published today reveal.
Five widespread heatwaves, including seven UKHSA heat health alerts and temperatures reaching a peak of 38.1C, made summer 2026 one of sustained extreme heat. With winter now approaching, the NHS in London is turning its attention to ensuring services remain resilient in the months ahead.
In total, Londoners endured 40 days of temperatures above 30C. Despite the record demand, more patients were seen, treated or discharged within four hours, with four-hour performance improving to 78.1% in August.
NHS staff worked through sweltering conditions throughout the summer to maintain the level of care Londoners rely on, even as demand and temperatures both surged.
Dr Chris Streather, Regional Medical Director for the NHS in London, said: “This summer has tested London’s NHS services, with record demand sustained from May right through to August. Today’s figures show 408,223 people attended A&E in August alone, and our teams handled more than 5,700 additional ambulance incidents compared with April, on top of months of relentless pressure.
“Our staff have kept services running through some of the toughest working conditions we’ve seen, all while continuing to deliver the care Londoners need. I want to thank every one of them for their unwavering dedication this summer.
“As we look ahead to winter, planning is already underway to ensure our services remain ready for whatever demand comes our way.”
At the height of the heat in August, the capital saw 408,223 A&E attendances and 129,168 ambulance incidents, with ambulance Category 2 response times holding steady at 32:23 minutes, a testament to NHS staff working through the extreme conditions.
Jason Killens KAM, Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service, said:“This has been a record-breaking summer for both the UK and London Ambulance Service. As the capital sweltered, our colleagues across the organisation worked tirelessly to respond to more 999 calls and Category 1 incidents than during any previous summer.
“The extreme heat placed additional pressure on our services, but thanks to the extra resources and planning we put in place, we were ready to support those affected.
“I would like to thank all of our people for their incredible efforts over the past three months. Their professionalism, dedication and resilience have helped keep Londoners safe throughout a challenging summer.”
The NHS in London is now turning its attention to winter, with planning already underway to build on the resilience shown this summer. Demand is expected to remain high, and services across the capital are preparing to ensure Londoners continue to receive the care they need, whatever the season brings.
Figures from: