Revealed: Floods have forced at least 67 closures at NHS hospitals since 2021
A recent investigation revealed that at least 67 NHS hospital sites in the UK have faced temporary closures due to flooding since 2021. The closures have affected various departments, including maternity units and surgical theatres, with some incidents lasting for weeks or months. As climate change contributes to wetter winters and increased rainfall, the risk of flooding to healthcare infrastructure is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
- ▪At least 67 NHS hospital wards and departments have been forced to close due to flooding since 2021.
- ▪The number of flood incidents at NHS facilities in England has doubled since 2021, reaching nearly 400 in 2024-25.
- ▪Flooding poses a significant threat to the UK's healthcare infrastructure, exacerbating existing issues within the NHS.
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At least 67 NHS hospital wards, departments and other sites across the UK have been forced to temporarily close or relocate due to weather-related flooding over the past five years, a Carbon Brief investigation reveals. Maternity centres, surgical theatres, a neonatal intensive-care unit and even entire hospital buildings have been disrupted by heavy rainfall or encroaching floodwaters. Carbon Brief submitted freedom-of-information (FOI) requests to 162 NHS trusts, which show that while many flood-related shutdowns were brief, some lasted for weeks or months. In total, 148 trusts responded to these requests with reports of 67 flood-related shutdowns, giving detailed data for 30 incidents that resulted in a total of 3,000 days of closures.
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