The NHS is under “extraordinary pressure” and braced for a new year surge in sick patients as amber cold health alerts were issued for the whole of England.
While the number of patients in hospital with flu is levelling off, according to data published on Wednesday, health leaders said the NHS was “not out of danger yet” with temperatures expected to plummet.
An average of 3,061 flu patients were in hospital each day in the week ending 21 December, down slightly from an average of 3,140 the week before. But NHS England said hospitals remained under “incredible” pressure, with 95% of beds full. The cold weather was likely to escalate the situation, it said.
On Wednesday, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued amber warnings for every region of England, which will be in place between 8pm on Wednesday until 10am next Tuesday.
Previously, only north-east and north-west England were under an amber alert, with all other regions under a yellow alert. Amber cold health alerts are issued when the forecast weather is “likely to cause significant impacts across health and social care services”.
Dr Paul Coleman, a health protection consultant at the UKHSA, said it was likely to be “very cold” across England over the next few days. “Low temperatures like these can have serious impacts on the health of some people, particularly older people and those with serious health conditions.
“Exposure to cold can lead to increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections. It is therefore really important, as the colder weather sets in, to check in on friends, family and neighbours that are most vulnerable.”
Wednesday’s NHS figures showed an average of 117 patients with flu were in critical care beds in the week ending 21 December, down from 128 the previous week. Separately, an average of 285 hospital beds were filled each day in the week ending 21 December by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms, down from 427 the previous week.
Prof Meghana Pandit, NHS England’s medical director, said the health service remained “under extraordinary pressure”, adding: “While there are signs of improvement and the NHS is in calmer waters, pressures on hospitals remain incredibly high and we’re not out of danger yet with temperatures set to drop in the coming days.”
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, praised NHS staff for their efforts but said hospitals were “not out of the woods yet, with flu continuing to be a challenge”.
Rory Deighton, an acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, added: “Services are still seeing high levels of demand due to seasonal viruses and bed occupancy is around 95%, which is well above safe levels. There are also thousands of patients stuck in hospital beds despite being medically well enough to go home, in part due to a lack of community and social care.”
