The National Health Service in England is confronting a severe and early flu surge, with the number of patients in hospital reaching a record high for this time of year. Health leaders have issued a stark warning that the service is bracing for an "unprecedented wave" of infections this winter.
Record-Breaking Hospital Admissions
According to the first official NHS winter situation report, an average of 1,717 flu patients were occupying hospital beds each day last week. This figure includes 69 individuals who required critical care. The data reveals a dramatic year-on-year increase, standing at 56% higher than the equivalent week in 2024, when 1,098 patients were hospitalised with 39 in critical care.
The current level far exceeds those seen in recent Decembers. At this point in 2023, there were only 243 flu patients in hospital, and in 2022, the number was 772. Last winter, flu admissions peaked at 5,408 patients in early January, marking the highest weekly total since the Covid-19 pandemic.
An Early and Unpredictable Season
This year's flu season began earlier than usual and has not yet reached its peak. This trajectory indicates that pressure on hospitals is almost certain to intensify in the crucial weeks leading up to Christmas and into the new year.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national medical director for urgent and emergency care, stated that flu cases are now "incredibly high". He confirmed that the latest statistics validate the service's gravest fears about winter pressures. "The NHS has prepared earlier for winter than ever before, but despite that we know that ballooning flu cases coinciding with strikes may stretch our staff close to breaking point in the coming weeks," he said.
Professor Redhead issued an urgent public appeal: "With just a couple of weeks left to ensure maximum immunity from flu for Christmas Day, I urge anyone eligible to come forward to get their jab."
Broader System Under Strain
The weekly report also highlighted pressures across the emergency care system. It showed that 30% of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals in England last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams. While this is an improvement on the 36% recorded at this time in 2024, it remains higher than the 27% seen in 2023.
Furthermore, approximately 10% of handovers, equating to 9,580 patients, experienced delays of over an hour. This situation unfolds as resident doctors in England are scheduled to commence a five-day strike from December 17th to December 22nd in an ongoing dispute over pay and training.
Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, commented: "It is clear that the flu season has hit much earlier and much harder than in previous years, piling pressure onto NHS services which have already had one of their busiest summers ever." He expressed deep concern about the additional disruption posed by impending industrial action.
Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King's Fund, noted the multi-directional strain on the health service, citing rising flu waves and industrial action. She emphasised that while the autumn budget protected NHS funding, it remains "extremely difficult" to see how it can deliver all the government's ambitious commitments for patient care.
In a minor respite, the report indicated that hospitalisations for norovirus and Covid-19 are currently lower than in previous winters. There was an average of 263 beds occupied by patients with norovirus-like symptoms, compared to 756 last year, and 825 patients with Covid-19, down from 1,390 in the same week of 2024.
Flu jabs are available for:
- Everyone aged 65 and over.
- Those under 65 in clinical risk groups.
- Care home residents and carers.
- Pregnant women.
- Close contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
- Frontline health and social care workers.
- Children.
Appointments and walk-in sessions are accessible at local pharmacies, GP practices, and community clinic drop-in centres across the country.
