Hospitals facing A&E wait times of up to 50 hours
Hospitals across England are facing unprecedented pressures as flu cases have surged dramatically over the Christmas and New Year period, prompting several NHS Trusts to declare critical incidents. This surge in flu infections has led to extended wait times for patients, with some reportedly waiting up to 50 hours to receive care. Over 5,000 patients were hospitalised with flu during the holiday season, with an average of 4,469 patients being treated daily in the last week of December. This figure is nearly 3.5 times higher than the same period in the previous year. Of these, 211 patients required critical care, highlighting the severity of the situation.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust, which oversees multiple hospitals, including Heartlands, Queen Elizabeth, Good Hope, and Solihull, declared a critical incident after admitting an 'exceptional number' of flu patients—311 in total—in the first week of January. In response, the trust has introduced measures such as mandatory mask-wearing across its departments to curb the spread of infections.
Similarly, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust raised alarms due to a significant and rising demand for hospital care, stating that the current situation was putting immense pressure on their services. Other hospitals across the country have reported similar challenges, with emergency departments being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of patients seeking treatment for flu and other illnesses.
The surge in flu cases is part of a broader crisis involving a rise in other winter infections, including norovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). These illnesses, combined with ongoing pressures from COVID-19 and typical seasonal demands, have created what some healthcare professionals are calling a "perfect storm" for the NHS. Health services are struggling to cope with the simultaneous spikes in multiple infections, further exacerbating delays and overcrowding in hospitals.
Patients have been urged to consider alternative healthcare options, such as consulting their GPs or local pharmacies, for non-urgent issues in order to relieve pressure on overstretched emergency departments. Additionally, health officials continue to emphasise the importance of vaccinations, including those for flu and COVID-19, as a crucial strategy to reduce the burden on hospitals.
With mounting pressures on healthcare services, NHS staff are working tirelessly to manage the situation, but the combination of high infection rates and limited resources has left many facilities struggling to maintain standards of care. This winter season is shaping up to be one of the most challenging on record for the NHS, with no immediate signs of relief in sight.