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UK NHS ‘buckling’: Number of flu cases in hospital seven times higher than last month

Saturday, 31 December 2022 4:08 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 31 December 2022 4:08 PM ]

People wearing face masks sanitize hands, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at the main entrance of the Royal London Hospital, in London, Britain December 31, 2021. (Photo by Reuters)

The UK health service is “buckling”, with the number of flu cases across English hospitals rising seven-fold in comparison to last month, the latest figures by the UK National Health Service (NHS) have shown.

“As we begin a new year, the NHS is buckling before our eyes. The pressures are immense with flu cases surging while staff absences rise dramatically,” said Patricia Marquis, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Director for England.

New data, released by NHS England on Friday, shows there were 3,746 patients a day in the hospital with flu last week, up from 520 a month ago. Of those in the hospital last week, 267 were in critical care beds.

The NHS has warned the rise in flu cases is continuing to put pressure on health services, as bed occupancy remains particularly high, with more than nine in 10 beds filled. The number of free beds has been at its lowest record in the last ten years period.

The soaring number of infected cases and lack of beds, along with a shortage of staff at UK hospitals, have created fresh chaos across the country.

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Furthermore, repetitive industrial actions by nurses, health staff, and ambulance drivers have added to the already staggering pressure.

“A key part of the problem is the record nursing vacancies across health and social care. But until nurses are paid fairly and appropriately, even more will leave the profession. The workforce crisis will get worse and patients will suffer,” said RCN’s Marquis.

Meanwhile, Professor Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, warned of a “twindemic”, as the flu cases were on a rising slope.

“Sadly, these latest flu numbers show our fears of a 'twindemic' have been realized, with cases up seven-fold in just a month and the continued impact of COVID hitting staff hard, with related absences up almost 50 percent on the end of November,” Powis said.

“It is clear this is no time to be complacent and the risk of serious illness is very real,” he added.

The new chaos in the UK health network comes on the heels of surging energy prices and soaring costs of commodities which have forced Britons to shop less and save money for the new year.

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