Critical incident declaration - extreme heat conditions

University Hospital Southampton has this afternoon declared a critical incident due to the ongoing extreme heat, which is placing significant pressure on our services. The high temperatures are affecting some of our systems and critical clinical services, including theatres and diagnostic imaging.

As a result, we have cancelled a number of planned operations as well as some outpatient appointments.

Our priority is patient safety and the welfare of our staff and we are asking for the public’s support during this time.

We have introduced temporary visitor restrictions to support our staff on the wards and keep the environment safe and comfortable for all. Please check with ward staff and keep numbers to a maximum of two per bedside.

Our Emergency Department (ED) is under extreme pressure but is here for people in a life-threatening emergency. Our clinical leaders are actively redirecting people whose conditions are not deemed an emergency to other services in the community.

Anyone attending ED is asked to help us by coming alone where possible, so we can keep numbers to a minimum in our waiting room.

You can also support us by collecting loved ones promptly once they are ready to leave hospital, helping to free up beds for those who need them urgently.

We would like to thank our staff for their hard work and local community for their continued understanding and support during this challenging period. By working together, we can help ensure our services remain safe and available for those who need them most.