Written question WQ99306

The Welsh Government is working closely with health boards and the ambulance service through enhanced national oversight and coordination arrangements to mitigate the impact of high temperatures on service capacity.

All health boards have adverse weather plans in place.

Regular national incident “huddles” are in place to monitor pressures across the system, ensure consistent application of escalation protocols, and provide assurance that local action is being taken in line with adverse weather and business continuity plans.

Across Wales, health boards are taking a range of coordinated actions, supported and overseen nationally, including:

• Escalation and command structures: Several health boards have declared business continuity or critical incidents and are operating enhanced command and control arrangements, with frequent coordination meetings and executive-level oversight.

• Maximising capacity and patient flow: Health boards are opening additional beds, expanding discharge teams, and focusing on improving discharge rates to free up capacity. There is also a national focus on accelerating repatriation of patients and making full use of discharge lounges.

• Use of transport and system-wide support: Additional capacity within non-emergency patient transport services is being used to support timely discharges and transfers, while clinical transfer pathways are being strengthened.

• Workforce management: Health boards are actively managing staffing pressures, including redeploying staff from areas where activity is reduced, and responding to impacts such as school closures.

• Service adaptation due to heat: Mitigations are being put in place where high temperatures affect care environments or service delivery. This includes implementing cooling measures, adjusting use of estate where areas are unsafe due to heat, and managing impacts on theatre activity where necessary.

• Emergency care pressures: Senior clinical decision-makers are being deployed at emergency departments and “front door” services to improve patient flow and reduce waiting times, alongside measures such as Same Day Emergency Care to avoid unnecessary admissions.

• Ambulance service response: The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust is operating at its highest escalation level (REAP 4), with a dedicated command cell managing heat-related pressures. Actions include maximising clinical triage, reducing unnecessary conveyance, and supporting system flow.

The Welsh Government will continue to maintain close oversight of the situation, working with NHS organisations to ensure timely action is taken and providing national support where required. Updates are being managed on an exception basis as the situation evolves.