NHS hospitals may need to be redesigned to cope with the health risks posed by major climate change, a leading environmental scientist has warned.

Professor Graham Bentham of the centre for environmental risk at the University of East Anglia said hospitals and nursing homes would need cooling systems to protect elderly and vulnerable patients from the effects of heatwaves.

His comments came after the publication of a government report on the impact of climate change. The Health Effects of Climate Change warned thousands could die over the next 50 years as a result of frequent heatwaves and severe flooding. It also warned that cases of tropical diseases, such as malaria, could rise.

Prof Bentham predicted that climate change would lead to a rise in mental health problems. "If your home is devastated by flood water that is clearly going to seriously disrupt your life. Studies from overseas suggest it can cause psychological problems similar to post-traumatic stress disorder."

However, the professor said outbreaks of malaria were unlikely in the UK. "There was a type of malaria that affected this country in the 19th century but we managed to get on top of it even with a poor public health infrastructure. So it's unlikely to seriously affect us now," he said.

Dr Geof Rayner, chairman of the UK public health association, called for better education about the health risks of travelling abroad, particularly as more people were visiting to tropical countries.

"The globalisation of travel has led to the old barriers against disease breaking down. We've seen large rises in cases of tuberculosis in this country in recent years as a result of that.

"Three years ago, it was predicted that there would be a further 50 to 80 million cases of malaria worldwide. People need to realise that immunisation against malaria is not 100% effective.

"The cult of brown skin among white people also needs to end," he said.

Frances MacGuire, climate policy officer at the pressure group Friends of the Earth, said: "This report shows thousands of British people will die early from skin cancer, in heatwaves and during extreme weather events caused by man-made climate change.

"This will place an added burden on our already over-stretched health service.

"The government must deliver on its promise to cut carbon dioxide - the most important greenhouse gas - by 20% at home but it must also work internationally to salvage the climate talks that collapsed so dramatically last November."