Pressure mounting on NHS services as flu levels continue to climb
- There were an average of 3,140 patients in hospital beds in England with flu each day last week, up 18% from 2,660 the previous week.
- On average there were 537 adult beds closed due to patients in hospital with norovirus-like symptoms last week, up from 446 the week before.
- But overall virus levels are down compared to last year, with an average of 4,576 beds closed or occupied for Covid-19, flu, Norovirus and paediatric RSV last week. This is up from 4,066 the week before but lower than the 4,897 reported last year.
- Some 54,335 members of staff on average were absent each day last week due to sickness or self-isolation, up from 52,234 the week before.
- Some 27.6% of ambulance handover delays across England took longer than 30 minutes, down from 31.9%. And 8.6% of handover delays were longer than an hour, down from 11.6%.
- There were 12,727 beds each day filled with patients no longer meeting the criteria to reside in hospital last week, down from 12,954 the previous week.
Responding to the latest NHS England urgent and emergency care situation reports, Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said:
“Pressure continues to mount on NHS services, with seasonal viruses like flu and norovirus increasing and bed occupancy remaining around 95% – well above safe levels – while resident doctors have downed tools for a fresh wave of strikes.
“NHS leaders and their teams are working incredibly hard to keep patients safe, but rising flu levels, increased staff sickness and industrial action will no doubt result in patients facing longer waits and cancelled or rescheduled appointments and operations.
“It is welcome to see flu rates appearing to slow down or even fall in certain regions. There have also been some welcome improvements in ambulance handovers and delayed discharges, though there are still nearly 13,000 people stuck in hospital beds when they are medically fit enough to be discharged.
“But we are only in the early stages of what NHS leaders know is going to be a long and difficult winter. We do not yet know when or at what level flu will peak, and the impact of the current round of strikes on services could continue into the new year as appointments are rebooked and staff covering industrial action take time off.
“The increase in vaccine uptake this year is also very welcome, but we would continue to urge people to get vaccinated against flu, Covid, and RSV if eligible protect themselves this winter."
