Hospitals facing unprecedented flu season, say NHS bosses

The number of flu patients in hospital has hit a record high in England for this time of year with NHS leaders warning the county is facing an unprecedented flu season.

NHS figures show there were an average of 1,700 patients in hospital with flu last week – that is more than 50% higher than the same time last year – and early indications from this week are that hospitalisations have continued climbing sharply since.

It comes as the flu season hit a month earlier than normal this year, with experts warning there appears to be a more severe strain of the virus circulating.

And NHS bosses are urging patients not to clog up A&E with everyday niggles as new figures show thousands turned to hospitals for minor ailments such as hiccups and ingrowing toenails last winter.

There were more than 200,000 A&E attendances in England from November to February for conditions that could have been dealt with elsewhere, according to NHS England.

This represents more than 2% of all attendances during that four-month period, taking up vital resources at under-pressure A&Es, health bosses said.

Patients with such minor conditions are being advised to seek help elsewhere, including from pharmacists, GPs and NHS 111 – either via the phone or online – as some of them can be managed at home.

NHS England urgent and emergency care director Prof Julian Redhead said alongside the high number of flu cases in hospital the NHS was having to plan for more doctor strikes in the lead up to Christmas.

British Medical Association members are taking part in a five-day walkout from 17 December in their long-running pay dispute.

Prof Redhead said: “Today’s numbers confirm our deepest concerns – the health service is bracing for an unprecedented flu wave this winter. Cases are incredibly high for this time of year and there is no peak in sight yet.”

He said staff could be stretched “close to breaking point” in the coming weeks.

Already close to 2% of beds are occupied by flu patients, with the 1,700 average last week the highest at this point of winter since records began in 2010.

And at an NHS England board meeting on Thursday morning chief executive Sir Jim Mackey warned the numbers were continuing to rise sharply.

“We’ve had a really, really big increase,” he said.

He suggested by the end of next week there could be anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000 beds occupied by flu patients. The highest level ever recorded so far is 5,400.

He said with this in mind the forthcoming doctor strike felt “cruel” and “calculated” and aimed at “causing mayhem”.

Prof Redhead said because of the demands being place on the NHS it was vital patients used services sensibly.

NHS England published A&E attendance figures showing between 1 November 2024 and 28 February 2025 there were:

• 6,382 visits for nasal congestion
• 83,705 visits for earache
• 96,998 visits for sore throats
• 3,890 visits for ingrowing nails
• 8,669 for itching skin
• 384 for hiccups

The attendances were to either major A&E units or minor injury units run by hospitals.

Although research shows one of the factors driving unnecessary A&E visits is difficulty accessing GP services, with latest figures showing more than a fifth of patients cannot get through to their GP on the day they try.

NHS England said patients can get prescription-only medication – traditionally dispensed by GPs – at pharmacies for a range of common conditions, including a sore throat, sinusitis and earache.

It is also releasing a video entitled ’24 Hours Not In A&E’ as part of a social media campaign to help avoid unnecessary visits to A&E departments and GPs.

GP Dr Ellie Cannon, who appears in NHS England’s social media video, said patients should remember they can contact their GP through their websites rather than relying on phone lines.

“Knowing where to get the care you need can make all the difference,” she said.

“It’s common for people to default to the 8am scramble for a GP appointment, or go to A&E, as it’s what feels most familiar – but there are many far more convenient and quicker ways to handle your health concern while you get on with your day.”

She said contacting GPs through their websites could be quicker and easier alongside using pharmacies and NHS 111.

GP practices in England were ordered to offer online booking from October and figures released this week show more than 98% now do. Those systems allow patients to ask questions as well as request appointments.

But the change has provoked opposition from the British Medical Association which has warned it could put patients at risk because GPs could become overwhelmed assessing online queries.