UK heatwave pushes Exeter ambulance service to record demand

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust appealed for public support on 26 June as record-breaking demand collided with a prolonged heatwave across the South West. From its Exeter headquarters at Westcountry House in Sowton Industrial Estate, the service was warning residents and visitors to use NHS services appropriately.

NHS England recorded May 2026 as the busiest month on record for A&E attendances, with 2,457,398, while ambulance services handled 832,089 incidents, their third busiest month ever. SWASFT’s own busiest day on record came on 26 May, when crews responded to almost 4,000 incidents across the region.

A red extreme heat warning and red heat-health alert covered the South West on 22 June, and by 26 June the service was again urging the public to protect themselves as demand remained at record levels. Amber alerts covered most of England and a yellow alert covered the North East until 12 July at 9pm. The alerting system runs from 1 June to 30 September to give early warning when temperatures may harm health and wellbeing.

Met Office provisional figures put June 2026 as England’s warmest June on record, while the UK and Wales recorded their second warmest June since records began in 1884.

Inside Exeter, paramedics Connor Gilronan and Charlotte Sherston dealt with a callout for Andrew, who had heat-related breathing difficulty. They gave him medication and oxygen and advised him to stay cool and hydrated before deciding he was safe to remain at home.