Summer 2025 was the warmest on record in the UK, with four distinct heatwaves, a peak temperature of nearly 38°C, and a mean temperature of 16.1°C. Yet despite the extreme conditions, BBC News reported on 2 April 2026 that heat-related deaths in 2025 were lower than in previous heatwave years.
The finding suggests that public health messaging and frontline healthcare response — including the contribution of community pharmacies — may be improving. But with climate projections indicating that summers like 2025 will become more common, the question for the pharmacy sector is whether current capacity and preparedness are sufficient for what comes next.
Pharmacy's role during heatwaves
Community pharmacies operate at the intersection of public health messaging and clinical intervention during extreme heat events. Their role spans several areas:
Medication counselling. Many commonly prescribed medications interact with heat. Diuretics increase dehydration risk. Beta-blockers reduce the body's ability to regulate temperature. Anticholinergics suppress sweating. Lithium's therapeutic window narrows with fluid loss. During heatwaves, pharmacists are responsible for advising patients on these risks — particularly older patients on multiple medications.
OTC product demand. Heatwaves drive surges in demand for sunscreen, oral rehydration salts, antihistamines (for heat rash), and electrolyte products. Managing stock levels and providing appropriate product advice is a routine pharmacy function that intensifies during extreme heat.
Vulnerable patient identification. Pharmacists who dispense regularly to the same patients — particularly through monitored dosage systems for elderly or housebound individuals — are often the first healthcare professionals to notice signs of heat-related distress. A patient who misses a prescription collection during a heatwave may be struggling at home.
Cool space provision. During the 2022 and 2023 heatwaves, some local authorities designated community pharmacies as "cool spaces" — air-conditioned public buildings where vulnerable residents could shelter during peak temperatures. This role positions pharmacies as civic infrastructure, not just healthcare settings.
Why deaths fell despite record temperatures
The BBC report attributes the reduction in heat-related mortality to improved public awareness and better-targeted public health interventions. The UK Health Security Agency's Heat-Health Alert system, introduced in its current form in 2023, provides tiered warnings that trigger specific responses from healthcare providers, local authorities, and care homes.
Community pharmacies receive these alerts through NHS and local authority communication channels. At the highest alert levels, pharmacies may be asked to proactively contact vulnerable patients, adjust medication counselling, and ensure adequate stock of heat-related products.
The fact that deaths fell during the hottest summer on record suggests that the system is working — but it does not mean the problem is solved. Heat-related hospital admissions, dehydration presentations, and medication-related complications during heatwaves are not routinely reported at pharmacy level, making it difficult to quantify the true burden on the sector.
Workforce implications
Heatwave preparedness adds to an already stretched pharmacy workforce. PharmSee's tracking of 1,605 active pharmacy vacancies across England (as of 13 April 2026) reflects a sector with persistent staffing gaps. During summer months, vacancy pressure typically intensifies as holiday cover requirements coincide with increased demand.
The relief pharmacist workforce — currently representing a significant portion of active vacancies at chains like Well Pharmacy (20.5% of sampled listings are for relief pharmacists) — is the sector's primary mechanism for absorbing seasonal demand spikes. Whether this capacity is sufficient for a sustained heatwave period, particularly in regions with fewer available locums, is an open question.
Preparing for summer 2026
With summer approaching, pharmacy teams and owners can take several preparedness steps:
- Review medication lists. Identify patients on heat-sensitive medications (diuretics, anticholinergics, lithium, antihypertensives) and plan proactive counselling during the first Heat-Health Alert of the season.
- Stock planning. Ensure adequate supply of sunscreen, oral rehydration products, and electrolyte sachets ahead of summer. Historical demand data from previous heatwave years, if available, can guide ordering.
- Staff scheduling. Build contingency into summer rotas to account for increased footfall during heat events. Consider pre-booking locum cover for anticipated peak weeks.
- Vulnerable patient registers. If the pharmacy delivers monitored dosage systems or provides repeat prescription services to housebound patients, maintain a list of those at highest heat risk. A brief welfare check phone call during an amber or red Heat-Health Alert can be genuinely life-saving.
- Physical environment. Ensure the pharmacy premises are adequately ventilated or air-conditioned. If the pharmacy is designated as a local authority cool space, confirm the arrangement is still active for 2026.
The data context
PharmSee's location analysis tool can help pharmacy owners understand the demographic profile of their catchment — including the proportion of residents aged over 65, which is one of the strongest predictors of heat vulnerability. The job search lists current vacancies including relief and locum roles that support seasonal cover planning.
Caveats
This article draws on the BBC News report of 2 April 2026, UK Health Security Agency published guidance, and general sector knowledge. PharmSee does not track heat-related consultation volumes, OTC sales data, or seasonal demand patterns at pharmacy level. Claims about pharmacy's heatwave role are based on known service capabilities and professional obligations.
Sources: BBC News (2 April 2026), UK Health Security Agency, PharmSee database (13 April 2026).