Nannying GP surgeries text patients urging them to take care in the heat

GP surgeries are texting patients to tell them to ‘drink plenty of water’ in the hot weather.

Doctors sent out the alerts informing the public ‘it’s hot’ and giving advice such as ‘stay out of the sun’.

The messages were put out by NHS South-West London as its hospitals struggled with record A&E attendances caused in part by the soaring temperatures.

Officials said the alerts were in response to many younger patients presenting at hospitals with issues such as heatstroke, asthma and allergies, exacerbated by the heatwave.

But the decision was branded ‘nannying’ and a waste of valuable resources when many patients struggle to get GP appointments.

Officials said the alerts were in response to many younger patients presenting at hospitals with issues such as heatstroke, asthma and allergies, exacerbated by the heatwave

Last night health chiefs insisted that the public wanted the advice, with its website of ‘tips for coping in the heatwave’ currently being accessed around 3,000 times every hour

Greg Smith, Tory MP for Buckingham, said: ‘My constituents want to be able to see a GP quickly when they need one, to get rapid care if they need a hospital referral or treatment and to know the best new medical technology and drugs are being procured.

‘What they don’t want, don’t need and will be totally bemused by is valuable resources – their taxes – being wasted on nannying text messages that state the bloody obvious.’

Last night health chiefs insisted that the public wanted the advice, with its website of ‘tips for coping in the heatwave’ currently being accessed around 3,000 times every hour.

A spokesman said that GP text messaging was ‘an effective way of providing advice directly to local people’ after many had asked what they should be doing in the heat.

The NHS has seen a rise in the number of people presenting at hospitals with issues such as heatstroke, asthma and allergies, exacerbated by the heatwave

The high pollen count and air pollution have seen a spike in the number of patients needing help with asthma and hay fever.

This surge in demand coincided with the latest round of walk-outs by health staff starting on Wednesday. Five hospitals in south London have recorded all-time high attendances at their A&E departments this week.

Among them are the three hospitals in the St George’s, Epsom, and St Helier group in south London, which saw 1,250 patients on Monday. The typical attendance is around 800.

NHS leader Amanda Pritchard warned the situation posed ‘a serious risk to patient safety’ while some trusts urged patients to stay away unless their condition is life-threatening.

Dr John Byrne, medical director for NHS South West London, said: ‘People have been suffering with high pollen, pollution levels and heat in London this week.’

He added: ‘We have responded to local people’s requests for health advice, which also supports our hospitals which have seen record numbers of patients in emergency departments at the same time as managing strike action.’