Extreme heat in the UK is causing nurses to collapse at work, prompting the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to demand air conditioning. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.

The Royal College of Nursing said that members were left dizzy, nauseous or at risk of fainting while dripping with sweat 'from head to toe'. The union described the conditions as 'inhumane and impossible'.

Burnham's response

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, speaking after a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee, said he was focusing on bringing serious incidents under control across the country. "It is really important that we deal today with the situation that we are in right now and we focus on making sure that we have the serious incidents under control across the country," he said. "The bigger questions obviously will come at the right moment in time," he added.

Some Labour MPs are privately concerned that Burnham has not yet shown he understands the urgency of climate adaptation. One MP said: "He barely talks about the climate crisis. He should be doing as many social media video clips on this as he does on the cost of living crisis."

Ongoing heatwave

An amber warning for heat across large parts of England will come into force again on Thursday morning, with temperatures forecast to reach 36C or potentially higher. Train passengers on some networks are being warned by rail operators to only travel if the journey is vital, saying services are likely to be disrupted because of the weather.

Three-quarters of England is now officially in drought. Firefighters are continuing to tackle a blaze in the New Forest in Hampshire, with warnings across parts of eastern and southern Scotland about a very high risk of wildfires.

Nurses' testimonies

A 37-year-old nurse working in a critical care unit in an NHS hospital in the south-west of England told The Guardian her ward had reached temperatures of more than 30C and staff were struggling. "Our ward doesn't have air conditioning, and so we're all really struggling. We've had hot summers before, but I can't remember ever working in conditions like these back to back," she said.

Another nurse, working in a community health centre in England, said: "It gets to the point you dread going to work, especially when wearing PPE and providing patient care. We drip with sweat from head to toe."

RCN demands

Prof Nicola Ranger, the general secretary and chief executive of the RCN, called these testimonies a 'wake-up call', demanding an urgent programme to install air conditioning, improve ventilation and ensure heat-appropriate uniforms were available.

On Monday, the Fire Brigades Union warned that firefighters needed new equipment and resources to face the growing threats from a climate changing at speed.

According to a freedom of information request submitted by The Guardian, just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The government has been warned by the climate change adaptation committee that it is lagging far behind in terms of adapting to a new climate.

Political pressure

On Wednesday morning, Burnham raised the idea of a possible ban on disposable barbecues, later saying retailers should withdraw them from sale, adding: "Longer term we will look at whether a temporary ban in the summer months is justified."

Labour MP Chris Hinchliff called for more immediate action, saying the summer "has to be a real wake-up call for Westminster". "It's a well-recognised fact that our country was built for a climate that no longer exists. It's putting enormous pressure on our infrastructure, our railways, our schools, our hospitals, and it threatens a real impact on people's living standards. This has to be one of the top priorities for government," he said.

Another MP suggested Burnham should "lean into climate adaptability". "Let Nigel Farage be on the side of the wildfires – he can be the pro-wildfire politician, and Andy can be the anti-wildfire prime minister. This is an opportunity for him to seize," they added.

Health and social care secretary Yvette Cooper said: "We must take urgent action to ensure the health and safety of nurses."