England’s hospitals ‘hit hard with early festive flu season’ as cases rise

The number of people in hospital in England with flu has jumped 41% in a week and continues to be more than four times the number at this point last year, NHS figures show.

It comes as health leaders warned the situation is “likely to get worse before it gets better” as schools prepare to close for Christmas and festive gatherings take place.

Eligible people have been urged to come forward for their flu jab.

According to the latest NHS data, an average of 2,629 flu patients were in beds in England each day last week, 2,504 in general or acute (G&A) beds and 125 in critical care.

This is up 41% from a total of 1,861 patients the previous week, when 1,795 were in G&A beds and 66 were in critical care.

It is also more than four times the figure at this stage in 2023, when the total stood at 648, and higher than the equivalent week in 2022, when the average was 2,088.

The hospital admission rate for 0 to four-year-olds with flu has jumped sharply week-on-week, from 14.4 to 25.5 per 100,000 people, higher than at any point last winter.

Rates have increased for all age groups, with the highest figure currently for people aged 85 and over, at 32.6 per 100,000.

Flu vaccine uptake among two-year-olds in England is lower than at this point last year, slightly lower for three-year-olds but higher for pregnant women, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: “The NHS has been hit hard with an early festive flu season, putting increased pressure on staff as they prepare for the long winter ahead of us.

“In response to the flood of flu cases so early in the season, the NHS has been making it as easy as possible for people to get protected with a jab, including vaccination centres in supermarket car parks and football clubs, helping protect almost 29 million people across England – while also opening up more hospital beds.

“As children finish school and friends and families congregate over the Christmas period we expect viruses to continue to spread so if you haven’t got your flu jab and are eligible please come forward, and the public should think twice about seeing loved ones if they are seriously unwell.”

It comes after officials warned of a so-called “quad-demic” of disease; flu, Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus.

Figures show an average of 711 hospital beds in England were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms, down from 837 the previous week but higher than the equivalent figure at this point in 2023 (570) and 2022 (367).

There were an average of 127 children with RSV in hospital wards, down from 152 the previous week but higher than at this point in 2023 (94).

The number of hospital beds occupied each day by patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 averaged 1,274, down week-on-week from 1,343.

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, said there has been “no let-up” for NHS trusts.

“The situation is likely to get worse before it gets better with viruses expected to spread further as schools close for Christmas and festive gatherings get into full swing,” she added.

“Despite unrelenting pressure on beds and NHS 111 services, hard-working NHS staff – on duty throughout the festive period – will continue doing everything they can to see patients as quickly as possible.”

Figures also showed that 34.5% of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams.

This is down slightly from 35.8% in the previous week, but higher than the equivalent week in 2023, when the proportion stood at 33.1%.

Some 14.3% of ambulance handovers last week, or 13,100 patients, were delayed by more than an hour, down from 16.3% the previous week and very slightly higher than this point in 2023 (14.2%).

Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at think tank The Health Foundation, said: “Winter pressures are inevitable but a winter crisis is not, with these yearly emergencies far less severe only 10 years ago.

“While the current pressures on the health service are being exacerbated by flu and other seasonal viruses, the struggles in and around hospitals are more a reflection of lack of resilience in the NHS after a decade of austerity before the pandemic.”

Patricia Marquis, the Royal College of Nursing’s executive director for England, added: “As people prepare for the festivities, nursing staff are battling to hold the service together and are deeply concerned about what the coming weeks will deliver.

“Right across the NHS beds are full, A&E is facing increasing pressures, while the growing number of flu cases threatens to overwhelm an NHS and workforce already in crisis.

“The situation is made even worse by the strains in social and community care. Lack of care available close to home means more patients are forced to use A&E or are stuck in hospital beds when they are ready to return home.

“Once again winter is exposing the true impact of failures to invest in our nursing workforce.  As we head toward 2025, the Government must show it values the profession through action and not warm words.”