NHS England on ‘high alert’ as flu admissions surge amid staff strikes | Hospitals
The NHS is on “high alert” as the number of flu patients in hospital is at its highest level ever for this time of year, as strikes continue.
As of last weekend, an average of 3,140 people were admitted to hospital with flu each day; This was up 18% from the previous week. While there were an average of 2,629 patients in the hospital in the same period last year, this number increased to 648 in 2023.
However, flu cases have begun to slow in some parts of the country, although the NHS has stressed the service is “not out of the woods”.
Flu cases in hospitals in north-west England fell by 4 per cent last week. However, flu cases continued to rise in other parts of England; The number of patients in hospital increased by 39% in the east of England and 40% in the south-west.
The figures emerged as junior doctors in England began the second of a five-day strike over a pay dispute.
NHS England national medical director Prof Meghana Pandit said the NHS was “not out of control yet” although flu cases were not rising as quickly as feared in some parts of the country.
“The influx of winter viruses combined with the impact of the strikes means many hospitals will be on high alert in the coming days,” Pandit said. “But it is vital that people continue to come forward for NHS care as normal.”
The number of flu patients in intensive care beds across England increased from 106 last week to 128 last week.
Separately, an average of 427 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhea, vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms; This is up by more than a fifth (21%) compared to last week.
