The London Ambulance Service recorded its busiest summer ever, handling the highest number of 999 calls and responding to the most Category 1 incidents on record.

The season is viewed as part of a broader rise in heat-related demand, with strategic planning underway to boost resilience for future summers.

Officials highlighted collaboration with hospitals and partner organizations to manage demand and keep services running during extreme heat and ongoing NHS pressure.

Heat-related medical issues dominated the workload, with breathing problems comprising the most common incident (29,608 cases, 27% above the five-year summer average) and heat exposure incidents reaching 300 (217% above average).

Leaders stressed preparation, resilience, and learning from the season, with statements from the Chief Executive, the Mayor of London, and the Health Minister.

Extra resources were deployed, including 600 additional ambulance crews during the June heatwave, and efforts to speed up hospital handovers to free crews for emergencies.

Category 1 incidents for the season totaled 44,578 cases, marking a 7.2% increase on the previous summer.

From June through August, the service answered 599,300 999 calls, a 2.3% rise from the prior record set in 2021.

London published the Heat Ready London Plan to better adapt to rising heat risk and coordinate responses among partners for future summers.