The health board that runs Abergavenny’s largest hospital has said it expects to come under severe pressure as a result of the impact the red weather warning is likely to bring with it.

The alert, which has been in force since 9am and will not be revoked until at least 9pm tomorrow, is already causing issues at Nevill Hall hospital in Abergavenny, which has seen some staff members resort to social media to appeal for donations of fans to keep patients as cool as possible.

One person working at the hospital took to a town social media group with the following appeal.

“Is there any business out there that would like to donate any fans for the ward 4/4 Nevill hall hospital please? Anything is much appreciated. We do raise funds throughout the year. Unfortunately because of the hot weather prices have gone up on the fans”

Another staff member on a different ward also made an appeal for industrial fans to help keep patients and staff cool.

“Would anyone like to donate industrial fans for our patients on ward 4/2 NHH?” they said.

“Would be deeply appreciated in this heat wave as the fourth floor can be extremely hot , thank you for any support.”

Anyone who can donate is being urged to drop fans off at the hospital.

While other health boards in Wales have declared business continuity incidents, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has not publicly declared one yet.

“We are currently experiencing exceptional demand across our hospitals due to a combination of increased emergency attendances of sick patients with heat-related symptoms, being unable to safely care for patients in some areas of our hospitals that are not air-conditioned, and the high number of patients who are awaiting discharge, along with staffing difficulties due to school closures over the coming days,” a spokesperson said.

“As seen across other areas of Wales, we ask for your support by only attending our Emergency Department if it is life threatening, or you have a very serious injury.

“Anyone can become unwell in hot weather, but older people, babies, young children, those who live alone or in a care home are particularly vulnerable in the heat.”

“We would urge our communities to stay as safe as possible and look after each other during this period of extreme heat by keeping hydrated, seeking shade and avoiding overheating wherever possible.”

“If you need medical help, please think carefully about the services you choose. Choosing the right place to receive advice and care will help us ensure that our hospitals are not overwhelmed and enable us to provide timely treatment for patients most in need. Please consider visiting your local pharmacy, your GP, visit https://orlo.uk/UGJMP or call NHS 111 for advice. You can also ring 111 if you need to access urgent appointments when your own GP surgery is closed.”