Flu patient numbers in English hospitals fall for second straight week | Hospitals
The number of people hospitalized with flu in England has fallen for the second week in a row, NHS figures show; England’s top doctor has said the health service is “far from subservient” as the cold weather arrives.
An average of 2,676 flu patients were in the hospital each day during the week ending Dec. 28; This figure was 3,061, down 13% from the previous week.
This figure had previously shown an upward trend, reaching 3,140 in the week ending December 14. Last winter weekly flu numbers in England peaked at 5,408 patients.
There were a total of 128 flu patients in intensive care beds in England, up from 117 last week.
The UK Health Safety Agency has issued yellow and amber cold health warnings for England as temperatures drop below freezing, which could increase pressure on hospitals.
NHS national medical director Prof Meghana Pandit said: “It is welcome news to see a fall in the number of people admitted to hospital with flu, thanks in part to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff, with more than half a million people vaccinated against flu compared to the same time last year.
“The NHS is far from complacent as temperatures drop, which is likely to increase pressures in the new year and demand for services will remain high as NHS 111 services recorded their second busiest day in two years on Saturday.”
Health secretary Wes Streeting said: “Despite all the challenges the NHS has faced this winter, the tremendous efforts of NHS staff and our investment and modernization mean hospital bed occupancy is lower than last year and ambulance handover performance is improving.
“But we still face intense pressures, and with this cold weather adding additional challenges, it’s more vital than ever that those eligible get a flu vaccination and that people only go to A&E in emergencies. Let’s join NHS staff doing everything we can to protect ourselves and our families throughout a difficult winter, so NHS services can be free for those who really need them.”
An average of 284 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms. This was largely unchanged from the previous week’s average of 285 patients and well below the figure of 427 patients two weeks ago.
The data was published in the latest weekly snapshot of the performance of hospitals in England this winter.
The NHS situation report also shows that 18 per cent of patients arriving by ambulance to hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams. This was down 22% on the previous week and is the lowest figure so far this winter.
Four percent of ambulance handovers last week, or 3,359 patients, were more than an hour late; that rate was 5 percent from the previous week and the lowest so far this winter.
