Hampshire Hospitals has warned that hospital attendances are rising in the heatwave, which may lead to longer waits in emergency departments.
Dr Tahir Akbar, Hampshire Hospitals’ interim chief operation officer, has said teams are working in ‘tough conditions’ to maintain patient care while responding to rising temperatures.
He said: "We are extremely grateful to everyone working in tough conditions to care for our patients, and we are also grateful for the way patients and their loved ones understand that we are doing everything possible to mitigate the impacts of the heat.
"We also encourage everyone to take care during the heatwave by staying hydrated, keeping cool where possible, and checking in on vulnerable family and friends."
He urged friends or relatives of patients who are ready to be discharged from the hospital to collect them as quickly as possible.
The trust has implemented a range of measures across its sites, including prioritising air conditioning in critical areas such as medicine storage, distributing hundreds of fans, and increasing bottled water supplies.
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Staff have also been provided with refreshments, including donated ice lollies and ice cream.
Dr Akbar explained that business continuity processes are routinely updated to allow the trust to respond quickly to extreme weather.
Teams from across Hampshire Hospitals have met regularly to ensure ‘full oversight’ and ‘agile response’ to emerging issues.
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