NHS reports busiest ever summer as heatwaves drive up hospital admissions

Health secretary says extreme demand no longer confined to winter as service in England warns of knock-on effects

The NHS faced the “busiest summer in its history” as the UK experienced a series of heatwaves, health officials have said, while the waiting list for routine hospital treatment in England has risen to its highest level for nine months.

The health secretary said “extreme demand” on the service was “no longer confined to winter” and NHS leaders warned that the service had “never gone into winter on the back of such a heavy summer”.