Nurses collapse as NHS wards become ‘not fit for humans’

Nurses are collapsing, suffering seizures and battling dehydration on sweltering hospital wards as England braces for another dangerous heatwave. The Royal College of Nursing says some NHS workplaces have become “unbearably hot” and “not fit for humans”, exposing staff and vulnerable patients to serious risks.

Nurses left dizzy, faint and fighting to cope

The RCN has received accounts of nurses collapsing after long shifts, while others reported temperatures above 30C and one worker described conditions reaching 36C. Two nurses with pre-existing conditions said they suffered seizures, while pregnant staff reported the heat affecting their health.

One nurse working in a cancer service became “nauseous, dizzy and faint” after temperatures exceeded 33C. Another community nurse said staff wearing PPE were “dripping with sweat from head to toe”.

Broken cooling systems leave wards sweltering

Nurses reported broken air conditioning, inadequate ventilation and fans that failed to provide relief. Some said windows could not even be opened, leaving staff caring for patients in oppressive conditions.

Professor Nicola Ranger, the RCN’s chief executive, said staff collapsing or being admitted to the hospitals where they work showed how badly they were being failed. She warned that vulnerable patients, including elderly people and those recovering from surgery, could also be made sicker by the heat.

Decades of underinvestment exposed

The union said ageing NHS buildings were poorly prepared for extreme temperatures after years of underinvestment. NHS Alliance figures also point to huge maintenance backlogs, with some hospitals facing more than £100 million in outstanding costs.

That creates a brutal choice for hospital boards: spend scarce capital on essential repairs or install cooling systems that could place further pressure on ageing electrical infrastructure.

Heatwave puts NHS under fresh pressure

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said extreme heat was already hitting public health, with rising A&E attendances and ambulance call-outs. She said the NHS must begin planning for summer pressures in the same way it prepares for winter — including making buildings more resilient.

With temperatures forecast to reach 36C or higher, the warning is stark: the NHS is being forced to confront extreme heat in buildings that were never designed to withstand it.

Nurses collapse and suffer seizures on hot wards 'not fit for humans', union warns