FOUR NHS hospital trusts have declared critical incidents as surges in flu and norovirus cases strain already stretched services.
The recent has exacerbated the need for hospital beds as many frail, vulnerable and elderly people have been admitted with cold related illnesses.
Such incidents are typically declared in response to overwhelming demand
Hospitals face a large number of patients with winter illnesses and respiratory viruses
is also heightened at this time of year, putting “significant and sustained pressures” on hospitals.
Three Surrey trusts, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust have declared critical incidents.
Due to “sustained pressures” at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in , East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has also declared a critical incident.
Such incidents are typically declared in response to or infrastructure failure.
NHS Surrey Heartlands said its hospitals were experiencing “exceptionally high demand, driven by a continued high admission rate and a large number of patients with winter illnesses and respiratory viruses.
“Beds across our hospitals are currently full and attendance at our emergency departments is extremely high, meaning there is very limited capacity to admit further patients who need acute care” the trust added.
Complicated A&E admissions as well as problems discharging patients ready to leave hospital have been blamed for the dire situation.
Across the country other critical incidents have been declared.
In Birmingham, Staffordshire and two areas of Wales, trusts have said they are suffering “sustained pressure” and having difficulty coping with the significant increase in norovirus cases.
This comes just weeks after a wave of tore through the country.
Schools were forced to bring back “firebreak lockdowns” in December as hundreds fell sick in what experts warn could be the ‘.
Festive celebrations and mingling may be partly to blame for the “bounce back” in winter viruses, according to NHS England.
It revealed the number of people in hospital beds with flu averaged 2,924 each day during the week ending January 4, up 9% from 2,676 the previous week.
The figure was heading downwards after reaching 3,140 in the week ending December 14, but has jumped back up following festivities.
NHS medical director Prof Julian Redhead said: “The health service is bracing for an unprecedented wave this winter.
“I urge anyone eligible to come forward to get their jab.”
The UK was battered by an unusually early surge of the winter bug, unleashing “mayhem” in the run up to Christmas.
The strain of flu, dubbed ‘subclade K’ or H3N2, is thought to be driving infections.
Sun columnist and GP said: “It is more infectious – meaning it spreads more – and poses greater risk for severe illness in at risk groups, such as older adults aged 65 and over, young children, pregnant women, those with chronic conditions like heart, lung, kidney disease, , and the immunocompromised.
“It is expected that the flu situation this year will get much worse before it gets better,” Dr Zoe stated.
The rapid infection rate in the latest flu strain has sparked fears it could trigger one of the , if not ever.
Dr Zoe told Sun Health: “The flu mutates all of the time, so every year we are dealing with a slightly different version
“It’s the current version of the circulating H3N2 flu virus that is causing concern.
“Experts warn that it mutated seven times over the , making it more severe than normal.”
It’s thought the strain might be better at evading vaccines.
There has also not been an H3 outbreak since 2022, which means there is little immunity among the public.
Residents and staff in carehomes, and carers for vulnerable individuals may also be at higher risk of infection, the GP warned.
Staff sickness is also heightened at this time of yearCredit: Getty
It’s thought the strain might be better at evading vaccinesCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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