Jump in flu and novovirus patients adds to pressure on hospitals
The number of norovirus patients is 56% higher than at this stage last year.
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Your support makes all the difference.The number of patients in England with flu or norovirus is continuing to rise, adding more pressure on hospitals already facing a range of challenges including a strike by junior doctors.
An average of 648 people were in hospital each day last week with flu, up by nearly two-thirds (61%) from 402 in the previous week, including 30 people in critical care beds, NHS data shows.
It is the highest number so far this winter, but is below the equivalent figure for this point last year – 2,088 – when the UK was in the middle of its worst flu season for a decade.
Norovirus levels also remain on the increase, with an average of 566 adult hospital beds filled last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.
This is up 12% from 506 beds the previous week and is 56% higher than at this stage last year, when the average stood at 363.
Norovirus is the most common infectious cause of diarrhoea and vomiting, spreading easily through contact with someone who has the virus or with contaminated surfaces.
The figures come as junior doctors in England take fresh industrial action as part of a long-running dispute over pay.
The latest strike by the British Medical Association (BMA) began at 7am on December 20 and runs for 72 hours until 7am on December 23, with a further six-day strike planned for early January.
In addition to rising levels of flu and norovirus, the number of patients testing positive for Covid-19 now looks to be on an upwards trend, with an average of 3,246 people in hospital in England each day last week, up from 2,762 the previous week – although less than half the average at this point last year (6,918).
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England national medical director, said the latest figures show “winter is well and truly with us”, adding: “While NHS staff across the country are doing everything they can to get as many people as possible home in time for Christmas, we are aware the latest strikes could impact on almost all routine care including likely difficulties discharging patients.
“We have already said we expect this to be the most challenging winter yet with strike action in the mix and high occupancy in our hospitals is deeply concerning as our hardworking staff juggle seasonal viruses and strikes going into Christmas.
“Despite these challenges, and thanks to our robust winter and recovery planning, we can see considerable progress being made for patients compared to the same period last year, with over 1,000 more adult beds in place, staff answering the majority of 111 calls within one minute, and ambulance handover delays down a third on last year.”
A total of 28,966 hours were lost across hospitals in England last week to ambulance handover delays that took longer than 30 minutes to complete, compared with 46,085 hours in the equivalent week in 2022.
Some 33% of patients arriving by ambulance last week had to wait more than half an hour to be handed over to A&E teams, down slightly from 34% the previous week but below the 41% at this point last year.
Other data in the latest snapshot of NHS performance in England shows that:
– 14% of ambulance handovers last week, or 12,196 patients, were delayed by more than an hour, down slightly from 15% the previous week and below the 24% at this stage in 2022.
– An average of 91,125 general adult hospital beds were occupied each day last week, 95.9% of the total, up from 89,700 (95.4%) in the corresponding week last year.
– An average of 12,728 hospital beds per day last week were occupied by people ready to be discharged, down from 12,947 the previous week and lower than 13,697 at this point in 2022.
– Some 45% of patients ready to leave hospital last week were actually discharged each day, up from 40% at this stage last year.
Rory Deighton, acute network director at the NHS Confederation, the membership organisation for the healthcare system, said: “While the data shows that the NHS is faring better than last year it is clear that the system is poised on a knife edge.
“Ambulance handover delays and delayed discharges are still too common and hospital bed capacity is running hot. This means that any additional pressure could see performance deteriorate and potentially put patients at risk.
“This is why we are urging the Government and BMA to get back around the table and stop the strikes in January, during one of the most difficult weeks of the year for the NHS.
“If these go ahead our members are concerned about what the impact to patients and services could be.”
Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive for NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts in England, said there was pressure “right through” the health service, from “chock-a-block hospital wards to a rising number of staff off work sick on top of more than 121,000 vacancies across England in hospital, ambulance, mental health and community trusts – at a time when many staff are off on planned leave.”
She added: “Trusts are doing all they can to ensure patients receive the care they need as quickly as possible, working hard to reduce handover delays when people arrive at hospital in ambulances and to enable patients to get home to be with or close to their loved ones as soon as they’re well enough to do so.”