Hospital Sees Fourfold Increase in Flu Patients Leading Up to New Year

Amber alerts were issued recently and are expected to remain in effect until January 8th, potentially leading to increased deaths, especially among the elderly or individuals with underlying health issues, as per the UKHSA.

Sarah Arnold from The King’s Fund expressed worry over the latest NHS data, noting that the health service is operating at near-full capacity consistently. This limits the ability to address seasonal pressures, such as a norovirus outbreak or a surge in flu cases, alongside an increase in demand for care and staff absences due to illness.

Arnold highlighted the early start of this year’s flu season, with significantly higher flu-related hospitalizations in December 2024 compared to the same period last year. She also noted an increase in the closure of beds due to norovirus cases compared to previous years, exacerbating the strain on the system.

Furthermore, Arnold emphasized that staff absences are surpassing last year’s levels, compounding the challenges faced by the NHS.

Ambulances are experiencing substantial delays in transferring patients to busy A&Es, underscoring the critical issues confronting the NHS as winter progresses.

Last week, hospitals handled 98,118 ambulance handovers, while NHS 111 received 465,442 calls. To free up hospital beds before the busy winter season, NHS staff discharged 15,094 patients on Christmas Eve, a 40% increase compared to the previous week.

‘Tidal Wave’

Flu activity is also on the rise in Scotland, with a 12% increase in hospital admissions reported by Public Health Scotland in the past week.

Dr. Nick Phin, director of clinical protection health at PHS, expressed concern over the elevated levels of flu this year, especially due to its potential to cause severe illness and hospitalizations, particularly among vulnerable groups.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the immense pressures on the NHS attributed to the “tidal wave of flu.” He emphasized the government’s efforts to address these challenges through various measures, including investment in NHS and social care reform.

Streeting stressed the need for comprehensive solutions to break the cycle of annual winter crises faced by the NHS.