Ten ambulances queue outside Greater Manchester hospital - as heatwave could fuel rise in excess deaths

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Ten ambulances were spotted queueing outside a Greater Manchester A&E on the hottest day on record. Photos show ambulances waiting in line at Royal Oldham Hospital yesterday, while another eight vehicles queued for Fairfield General Hospital.

It comes as Manchester's health chief warned the heatwave could fuel a rise in excess deaths. Manchester Public Health Director said investigations are being carried into how many excess deaths have been caused by the hottest days on record as temperatures soared to 37C across our region.

David Regan drew comparison to the three-week heatwave in France in 2003 which resulted in 15,000 excess deaths - fatalities from all causes that happen above and beyond those expected under "normal" conditions. READ MORE:Stop turning up to A&E with 'stubbed toes' because you can't get a GP appointment, urges paramedic Mr Regan said: “The UK Health Security Agency will assess the impacts of not just the last few days but, as we know from the experience in France in 2003, prolonged periods of high temperatures can result in significant excess deaths just as bad winters result in excess deaths. "So it’s really important that we’ll monitor and track the ongoing impacts over the coming weeks and months of what’s happened in the last few months.” Pressures have already been building in the NHS in recent weeks as the service is hamstrung by a combination of rising Covid-19 hospitalisations, a subsequent rise in staff absences, and a general increase in the number of seriously ill patients needing help following a string of lockdowns.

In recent days, hospitals and GP services have been hit with a slew of heat-related illnesses and injuries putting more strain on a limited workforce.