First Hospital Working Group meeting

The first Hospital Working Group (HWG), chaired by Professor Shakoor Hajat, held on 11 May 2026. The HWG provides strategic oversight, and expert input into Hub activities. The meeting had 30 attendees from HEARTH team members and external partners, representing a broad range of organisations across academia, the public sector, healthcare, and industry, including:

• Academic institutions: Oxford Brookes University (OBU), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), University College London (UCL), and the University of Leeds (UoL).

• Public sector organisations: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Greater London Authority (GLA), and Public Health Scotland and Public Health Wales.

• NHS trusts and healthcare delivery bodies: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, NHS England, and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

• Industry: British Blind and Shutter Association.

The session introduced the HWG and clarified its Terms of Reference and membership. It also featured presentations on HEARTH research related to hospitals,  including:

• Development of archetypes, insights from literature review, monitoring and survey

• Heat resilience in healthcare settings

• ARCHI project

• Staff Heat Impact Survey

• UKHSA report on overheating in hospitals

  
  

Key discussion points

• Archetype vulnerabilities: Analysis of seven hospital building archetypes indicated that older “Nightingale” wards (open plan, natural ventilation, high ceilings) may be comparatively thermally resilient, while some newer modular buildings appear to present higher overheating risks. 

• Adaptation and operations: The team discussed categorising adaptation measures into “quick wins” and longer-term interventions, while also noting that heatwaves can cause significant operational disruption affecting patient care, staff wellbeing and hospital efficiency. 

• Integrated monitoring: HEARTH is adopting a multi-method monitoring approach combining environmental sensors (temperature and CO₂), staff and patient comfort surveys, and wearable physiological monitoring devices. 

• Strategic policy and KPIs: Work is underway to refine KPIs relating to heat-health impacts, including heat-related admissions, and to develop vulnerability frameworks for groups including pregnant, menopausal and neurodivergent staff. 

• Stakeholder roadmaps: Collaboration with NHS England and UKHSA is supporting the development of a national heat-resilient hospitals report, currently planned for completion by March 2027.