The number of flu patients in hospital has reached record levels at this time of year in England, with NHS bosses warning the county is facing an unprecedented flu season.
NHS data shows an average of 1,700 patients were in hospital with flu last week – up more than 50% on the same period last year – and early signs this week suggest hospital admissions have continued to rise sharply since then.
It comes as this year's flu season started a month earlier than usual, and experts warn that a more serious strain of the virus appears to be circulating.
And NHS bosses are urging patients not to clog up A&E departments with everyday worries as new data shows thousands of people went to hospital last winter with minor ailments such as hiccups and ingrown toenails.
Between November and February, more than 200,000 A&E patients were admitted in England with conditions that could have been managed elsewhere, according to NHS England.
That represents more than 2% of all visits during that four-month period, health officials say, draining vital resources from emergency departments under pressure.
Patients with such mild illnesses are advised to seek help from other places, including pharmacists, GPs and NHS 111 – by phone or online – as some of them can be managed at home.
NHS England's director of accident and emergency care, Professor Julian Redhead, said that along with the high number of flu cases in hospitals, the NHS had to plan more doctors' strikes in the run-up to Christmas.
Members of the British Medical Association have been taking part in a five-day strike since December 17 over their long-running pay dispute.
Professor Red said: “Today's figures confirm our deepest concern that the health service is bracing for an unprecedented wave of flu this winter. The incidence is incredibly high for this time of year, and the peak is not yet in sight.”
He said staffing levels could be “close to capacity” in the coming weeks.
Already about 2% of beds are occupied by flu patients, with last week's average of 1,700 the highest this winter since records began in 2010.
And at an NHS England board meeting on Thursday morning, chief executive Sir Jim McKee warned that the numbers continue to rise sharply.
“We've really had a lot of growth,” he said.
He estimated that by the end of next week there could be anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 beds occupied by flu patients. The highest level ever recorded so far is 5400.
Given this, he said, the upcoming doctors' strike appears to be “cruel”, “calculated” and aimed at “causing chaos”.
Professor Redhead said that due to the demands placed on the NHS, it was vital that patients used services wisely.
NHS England has published emergency department attendance data showing that from 1 November 2024 to 28 February 2025:
- 6382 visits for nasal congestion
- 83,705 visits for ear pain
- 96,998 visits for sore throat
- 3890 visits for ingrown toenails
- 8669 for itchy skin
- 384 for hiccups
Patients presented to either large emergency departments or hospital-run minor trauma units.
While research shows that one of the factors leading to unnecessary A&E visits is difficulty accessing GP services, with the latest data showing that more than a fifth of patients are unable to get through to their GP on the day they try.
NHS England said patients can get prescription-only medicines from pharmacies, traditionally dispensed by GPs, to treat a range of common conditions, including sore throat, sinusitis and earache.
It is also releasing a video called '24 hours out of A&E' as part of a social media campaign to help avoid unnecessary visits to A&E departments and GP surgeries.
GP Ellie Cannon, who appears in an NHS England social media video, says patients should remember they can contact their GP through websites rather than relying on phone lines.
“Knowing where to get the help you need can make all the difference,” she said.
“People tend to default to an 8 a.m. doctor's appointment or go to the emergency room because that's what seems most familiar, but there are many much more convenient and quicker ways to deal with health issues while you get on with your day.”
She said contacting GPs through their websites could be quicker and easier by using pharmacies and the NHS 111 number.
GPs in England have been told to offer online bookings from October, and data published this week shows more than 98% are now doing so. These systems allow patients to ask questions and also make appointments.
But the change has sparked opposition from the British Medical Association, which warned it could put patients at risk as GPs could become overwhelmed with assessing online requests.
