Key Points:
- England flu hospitalizations have surged, with 1,717 patients admitted last week and 69 in critical condition.
- Resident doctor strikes from Dec. 17–22 may intensify pressure on already stretched NHS staff.
- NHS warns hospitalizations could reach 8,000 and is considering a national response to manage the surge.
England’s National Health Service is bracing for what officials call an unprecedented flu wave after an average of 1,717 patients were hospitalized last week, a 56% jump from a year ago amid an unusually early season.
Flu Cases Climb Earlier Than Expected
NHS England’s first weekly winter performance report shows England flu hospitalizations rising faster than in recent years, with 69 patients in critical condition. The average of 1,717 patients in beds last week compares with 1,098 during the same period last year and only 160 in 2023.
Prof. Julian Redhead, national director for urgent and emergency care, said the data confirms the NHS’s “deepest concerns.”
“Cases are incredibly high for this time of year, and there is no peak in sight yet,” Redhead said. “The NHS has prepared earlier for winter than ever before, but ballooning flu cases coinciding with strikes may stretch our staff close to breaking point.”
Strikes Add Pressure as Winter Peaks
The report also shows continued delays in ambulance handovers. Thirty percent of patients waited at least 30 minutes to be transferred to emergency teams, down from 36% the previous week but still above seasonal norms.
Resident doctors in England plan a five-day strike beginning at 7 a.m. on Dec. 17 and ending at 7 a.m. on Dec. 22. The action is expected to overlap with peak England flu hospitalizations and add strain on already stretched hospital staff.
Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said the timing of the strike has triggered frustration across the service.
“There is a genuine and palpable feeling of anger, frustration, exasperation,” Mackey told the NHS board. “This feels calculated to cause mayhem at a time when the service is pulling out all the stops to keep people safe.”
Mackey warned England flu hospitalizations could reach as high as 8,000 by next week if current trends continue. He said officials are “actively considering” a national response to manage mounting winter pressures.
Health Leaders Call for Stability
Health policy analysts say the NHS is entering its most challenging stretch of the year. Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of the King’s Fund, said the figures show pressures “hitting the health and care service from all directions.”
“Rising flu waves and industrial action are all adding strain to a system already struggling to deliver timely care,” Woolnough said. She noted that the flu season started unusually early and has not yet peaked, meaning England flu hospitalizations could continue to rise.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting pledged that the government would support the NHS through the winter.
“We will do all we can to weather this storm,” Streeting said. “With proper planning, record investment and modernisation, we will have a more resilient NHS for this winter and beyond.”
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