Bosses at the Royal Sussex County Hospital issued a plea for patience as the heatwave puts safety at risk.
The Brighton hospital postponed some procedures as ambulance bosses declared a critical incident because service was under extreme pressure, threatening its ability to deliver safe and effective care.
Earlier this week, the NHS hospital trust that serves Crawley – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare – also declared a critical incident and urged people to attend the hospital only in a life-threatening emergency.
The Royal Sussex said: “Due to the current period of very hot weather, we are experiencing challenges maintaining safe temperatures in some of our theatres and certain facilities across our hospitals.
“This is affecting how specialist equipment operates and, as a result, some planned procedures have had to be postponed whilst we prioritise emergency care.
“We know this will be very disappointing and upsetting for patients, particularly those waiting for important procedures, and we are very sorry for the impact this has had.
“These decisions are never taken lightly, but patient safety must always come first.
“Our trust ‘heatwave plan’ is in place, allowing us to prioritise the most urgent and emergency care, including our major trauma services, so they remain available for the sickest patients.
“Our teams are working as quickly as possible to resume normal services and to rearrange appointments for those affected, with the most urgent cases prioritised.
“Patients should continue to attend appointments unless they are contacted directly.
“We recognise the impact that warm temperatures have on our patients and are taking proactive steps to help ensure they remain safe, well‑hydrated and as comfortable as possible during their hospital stay or visit.
“We would like to thank our staff for their continued dedication in these very challenging conditions.
“We also ask our communities to help by staying safe in the heat, keeping hydrated, avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day and checking in on those who may be more vulnerable.”
The South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said late last night: “Following a difficult few days and a period of sustained and significant demand, South East Coast Ambulance Service declared a critical incident at 10.40pm on Thursday 27 June.
“At the point of declaration there were a significant number of outstanding calls waiting for an ambulance response, including a number of higher acuity incidents.
“This follows one of the busiest days we have seen this year, alongside ongoing pressure across the wider health and care system and additional demand linked to the current hot weather.”
