Home / Health / NHS Winter Success: Flu Cases Drop 25%
NHS Winter Success: Flu Cases Drop 25%
5 Feb
Summary
- Hospital flu admissions decreased by 25% weekly.
- Norovirus hospital bed occupancy saw its first fall.
- Ambulance handover delays to A&E teams are reducing.
Officials report that NHS winter planning is yielding positive results for patients, with new figures showing a 25% decrease in hospitalizations for flu in the past week. Admissions for norovirus have also declined for the first time this year, and prolonged ambulance waits before A&E handover are diminishing. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated the health service is learning from this winter to enhance its response and overcome seasonal demands.
Daily flu patients in hospitals averaged 1,491 last week, a 25% reduction from the previous week and the lowest figure this winter. Critical care beds occupied by flu patients also decreased. Norovirus-related bed occupancy fell by 5% to 904 daily, marking the first week-on-week decrease since late December. Delays of over 30 minutes for ambulance handovers dropped to 29%, with 9% experiencing hour-long waits.
Professor Meghana Pandit noted that early NHS preparation is beneficial, with quicker ambulance handovers occurring despite high demand. Approximately 18.8 million flu jabs have been administered, exceeding last year's total. Mr. Streeting emphasized the impact of early planning, increased funding, new ambulances, and widespread vaccinations in improving urgent and emergency care. While winter pressures persist, lessons learned are being applied to strengthen the NHS's resilience.
Vaccination rates are helping to mitigate the impact of winter viruses, though norovirus cases remain high, requiring significant staff effort. NHS England urges eligible individuals to get their flu, Covid, or RSV jabs. The RSV vaccine program has expanded to include those aged 80 and over, following its initial rollout for specific age groups and pregnant women.
