The chief executive of NHS England has indicated that the recent severe surge in flu cases may be beginning to level off in certain parts of the country, offering a glimmer of hope amidst a challenging start to winter.
Winter Pressure and Cautious Optimism
Sir Jim Mackey told MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee on Wednesday that the health service had encountered its "first contact with winter in a pretty nasty way" over the past month. He expressed particular concern about the accelerating pressure from flu just two weeks ago.
However, he offered a note of cautious optimism, stating: "That looks like it might be starting to settle, still early days, but might be starting to settle in some parts of the country." Sir Jim credited the NHS's ability to learn from previous years for helping to maintain performance in key areas like ambulance handovers and category two response times.
No National Mask Mandate, Says Health Secretary
Also appearing before the committee, Health Secretary Wes Streeting addressed calls for wider mask-wearing. He firmly stated that the time has "not yet come" for the general public to be asked to wear masks and there is no need for a national mandate.
He clarified that local NHS and care leaders are being supported to make their own decisions based on local pressure. "It will be done in an informed way... and most people will happily comply with that," Mr Streeting said, acknowledging that some hospitals may already be asking visitors to wear masks.
Expert Views on Flu Severity and Treatment Gaps
The political updates come as leading infectious disease experts provided their analysis of the current flu season. Dr Leon Peto from the University of Oxford said current data does not prove this season is markedly different from a normal, significant flu year, but cautioned that such years still cause thousands of deaths and severe illness.
He noted that while the nation may be nearing a peak, "nobody really knows where the peak is going to be until after we've passed it."
Professor Sir Peter Horby, also of Oxford University, delivered a stark warning about the UK's preparedness for treating severe flu. He highlighted a critical lack of investment, stating: "We've got more treatments for Covid, which is five years old, than we do for flu, which is 90 years old."
He pointed out that with around 2,500 people currently hospitalised with flu, there are no proven effective treatments for severe influenza, describing the treatment pipeline as "really poor."
The latest official figures, which showed a 55% weekly jump in flu cases to a record level for the time of year, will be updated on Thursday.
