Though the flu hospitalisations have fallen for the second consecutive week, England’s top doctor has said the NHS is ‘far from complacent’, as England braces for a cold snap.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued amber and yellow cold health alerts as the temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, and this is expected to increase pressure on hospitals.
The new data published on Friday (2) shows there were 2,676 patients in hospital with flu last week, compared with 3,061 the week before. It was 3,140 in the week ending 14 December.
The NHS attributes this fall to the ramping up of vaccination efforts. This year, half a million more people have been protected against flu compared with the same period last year.
However, the demand on the wider NHS services remains high, with the second-highest number of calls to 111 (87,318) answered in two years last Saturday (27).
Ambulance handover times also showed improvement, with a drop of two-and-a-half minutes week on week, and more than 14 minutes quicker than last year.
NHS national director Professor Meghana Pandit said, “The NHS is far from complacent as temperatures drop with this likely to increase pressures in the New Year, and demand on services remaining high with NHS 111 services recording their second busiest day in two years on Saturday.”
Health secretary Wes Streeting lauded the ‘Herculean efforts’ of the NHS staff in improving the ambulance handover times and keeping the hospital bed occupancy low.
“But we still face intense pressures, and with this bitingly cold snap adding additional challenges, it is more vital than ever those eligible get their flu jab and people only attend A&E in an emergency,” he added.
