The NHS is under immense pressure, comparable to the height of the Covid pandemic, due to rising flu cases, cold weather, and high demand on accident-and-emergency (A&E) services. Hospital admissions for flu have surged to over 5,400 per day, more than triple the number from the same time last year. About 20 NHS trusts in England and the Welsh Ambulance Service have declared critical incidents, while hospitals in Scotland are described as “gridlocked.”
Frontline staff report overwhelming workloads, with patients enduring long waits in A&E and ambulance handovers delayed. For example, some patients have waited over 30 hours for care, leading to degrading conditions. Ambulance response times for critical cases are also well below target.
NHS leaders warn the crisis is likely to worsen, attributing it to systemic capacity issues exacerbated by seasonal pressures. Despite a slight reduction in the elective care waiting list, experts criticize the use of the flu season as an excuse for ongoing failures in healthcare capacity and resources.