Staying safe during a heatwave – advice
20 June 2025 - An amber health alert has been issued by UKHSA and the Met Office for London. It is expected to be in place until 23 June.
We advise anyone travelling to our hospitals to stay in the shade as much as possible between 11.00am and 3.00pm, and to drink plenty of fluids.
Staff at King’s are helping our patients and visitors keep cool over the coming days, with a range of measures in place, including making sure plenty of cold water is available, ventilating our wards, and turning off unnecessary electrical equipment and lighting.
When the weather starts to get hotter, many people – especially those in high risk groups, such as older people, babies, young children, and those with heart, respiratory and serious health problems – can suffer from heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, dehydration and sunburn.
As a result, please consider the following actions to keep cool during the current hot weather, which are applicable to everyone:
- Drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol. Take water with you, if travelling
- Keep windows closed when the room is cooler than outside, but open them at night when the temperatures has dropped
- Close curtains on rooms that face the sun to keep indoor spaces cooler, and remember it may be cooler outdoors than indoors
- Apply suncream regularly, and wear a hat
- Have cool showers or baths, put a loose, cotton, damp cloth or scarf on the back of the neck, and spray or splash your face with cold water frequently to help keep your body cool.
For more tips on staying safe at home in hot weather, see the latest advice from NHS England.