Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has said the NHS should prepare for the future summers the same way it prepares for the winters.
In a column on the Mirror she wrote: "I have told the NHS to start drawing up summer plans now in the way they have traditionally done for winter."
She pointed out that the same people who are most at risk at winter will be at risk during heat waves - older people, the youngest children, and people with existing conditions.
"That means effective planning in emergency care, hospitals and care homes – especially supporting those who are frail and vulnerable."
The Health Secretary also said the urban planners and architects should make sure that the buildings can adapt to heat as well as cold.
She said the government is investing £6.75 billion to tackle the most serious problems across the NHS estate, including better cooling.
"We know Britain will face heatwaves like this with increasing frequency and increasing intensity. So we have to take the health consequences much more seriously, so that everyone is ready when they come."
Pressure on A&E services
Meanwhile, England's A&Es are experiencing their busiest period ever, with the record-breaking heat cited as a key factor.
A&E saw a record 2.5 million attendances last month amid two heatwaves, with the three busiest months ever all recorded between May and July.
The NHS normally experiences spikes in demand during the summer months, but this summer has seen unprecedented pressure, with the heat contributing to an increase in admissions caused by more outdoor activity and respiratory issues linked to dry weather, as well as worsening of underlying medical conditions.
The NHS has taken a range of measures to make conditions more comfortable for staff working in blistering temperatures.
NHS National Medical Director Professor Frankie Swords said: “The heat is making day-to-day working more challenging while also driving up pressure on services.
“But staff are as ever demonstrating outstanding professionalism, flexibility and hard work in the face of this summer surge – seeing more patients, more quickly, while bringing down the waiting list despite record numbers of people being referred for treatment."
However, unions have warned that staff are being forced to work in inhumane conditions because of the heat, with reports of some collapsing and others having seizures.
There were also reports of equipment, including scanners and IT systems, breaking down during heat waves.
