THE peak of the flu season is yet to come, a top doctor has warned, as hospitals face one of the NHS’s most “challenging winters” yet.
At least 12 departments across seven NHS trusts in England have declared critical incidents this week, citing flu, infectious diseases, and winter pressures as key factors.
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Brits are being urged to attend A&E alone and wear face masks as doctors warn of “unsafe” care putting lives at risk.
Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England’s director of emergency care, said patients are being treated in corridors and cases could continue to rise as schools go back.
He said: “It’s too early to say it has definitively peaked.
Read more on winter pressures
“I would hope there would be a peak in the next one to two weeks.
“Wards are now full to bursting and that pressure is feeding back into A&E departments, with patients being treated in environments not usually used for clinical care.”
Flu has “skyrocketed” over the festive period, with four times as many people in hospital compared to the previous month.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director for NHS England, cited a “quad-demic” of illness as outbreaks of flu, Covid, the winter vomiting bug norovirus and RSV add to pressure on hospitals.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, starts like a common cold but can quickly turn serious, leading to lung problems and trouble breathing.
Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said he was “ashamed” patients were stuck in corridors.
Several hospitals in different regions of England have restricted visiting hours and asked patients and visitors to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the flu virus.
Warwick Hospital is the latest to declare a critical incident, after seeing attendances at A&E “consistently some of the highest we have ever experienced”, over the past week.
A statement from South Warwickshire University NHS Trust which runs the department said: “Our services are extremely busy, and our teams are working exceptionally hard to care for a high number of people seeking treatment.
“Please be aware that you may be waiting for a significant length of time.
“It has also had a significant impact on the space available in the Emergency Department, therefore please minimise the number of people coming with you to ensure there is space for those seeking care.”
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire announced last night that Northampton and Kettering hospitals are facing a surge in patient demand and higher flu-related admissions.
Dr Naomi Caldwell, of NHS Northamptonshire, said: “This has been one of the most challenging winters we have ever experienced in the NHS.
“We have taken this step to ensure we can continue to deliver a safe level of care to our local population, while we work together to resolve it.”
Meanwhile, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Torbay Hospital, and North Devon Hospital have also reported “significant pressures” on their services, NHS Devon says.
The BBC reported all four hospitals have all declared critical incidents.
Nearby Derriford Hospital in Plymouth declared a critical incident due to increased pressure on its emergency department.
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, which runs Derriford, said 200 of the 300 people who attended the “extremely busy” hospital for emergency care were then admitted.
People accompanying patients have been asked not to enter the emergency department unless absolutely necessary so to to clear space and stop viruses spreading.
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NHS Devon warned that cold weather illnesses have put all county hospitals – Plymouth, Exeter, Torbay, and Barnstaple – under severe pressure, likely to last all week.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice across parts of Devon and Cornwall.
It said the region’s ambulance service had also been experiencing significant and sustained demand across its 999 services.
Dr Peter Collins, for NHS Devon, said: “All our services are working together to prioritise care to those most in need.
“Making the right choices can save lives and support our neighbourhoods and communities.”
University Hospitals Birmingham declared a critical incident across all its hospitals, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday after 15 ambulances were seen queuing outside.
It runs four hospitals: Heartlands in Bordesley Green, the Queen Elizabeth in Edgbaston, Good Hope in Sutton Coldfield, and Solihull.
Higher admission thresholds and quicker patient discharges will be enforced, internal NHS emails shared by journalist Shaun Lintern on X, revealed.
This follows an “exceptional number” of flu patients requiring hospital admission in the first week of January, with 311 inpatients affected, the NHS trust said in a statement.
Measures including mask-wearing have been introduced across its departments, it added.
“Despite expanding capacity in our wards and in our emergency departments, A&E remains overcrowded with extended waits to be seen,” chief nurse Margaret Garbett, said.
“We are asking the communities we serve to think carefully about how they access healthcare.”
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Patients are ‘unsafe’
Professor Powis said more than 5,000 people were arriving in hospital each day with the virus by the end of last month.
The number of hospital cases has quadrupled from November 29 to December 29, NHS data suggests.
“Frontline NHS staff are under significant pressure and the demand is showing no signs of letting up,” Professor Powis said.
“The latest data showing flu cases skyrocketed to around 5,000 a day in hospitals at the end of last year and multiple trusts across the country declaring incidents to help them to manage additional strain on services.”
Dr Adrian Boyle, the president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “Patients are suffering unsafe and unacceptable care in what has become a regular winter crisis in an NHS that is not set up to cope with demand.
“Flu adds to the pressure but what we are seeing is not unprecedented — the real problem is that the system has so little resilience.”
Dr Boyle warned: “This is leading to thousands of avoidable deaths every year and the political priority should be dealing with the dangers patients are facing in our emergency departments.”
Mr Streeting said he was “doing everything I can to make sure that year on year we see consistent improvement”.
He told LBC that he felt “genuinely distressed and ashamed” over what some patients were experiencing.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also declared a critical incident on Monday and called on the public to help manage the ongoing crisis.
It manages two hospitals – the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital – which has no available beds.
It said their emergency departments were “extremely busy”, meaning there was no capacity to admit more patients in need of care.
‘Stay at home’
Julie Dawes, chief nurse for Hampshire Hospitals, urged local residents to visit the hospitals only if they were “acutely unwell or injured”.
In a statement, published on the Trust’s website, Julie asked those with loved ones in hospital to come and collect patients who are ready for discharge to help free up beds.
“Anyone suffering from a winter virus should stay at home, get plenty of rest, and drink fluids”, she added.
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also declared a critical incident yesterday and urged people to only go to A&E in a genuine medical emergency.
Patients at Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s A&E are facing waits of up to two days after the department hits full capacity.
The hospital said it was “extremely busy” due to a rising number of patients with flu and other respiratory conditions.
It warned some people would experience delays as it prioritises the sickest patients.
A critical incident was declared on Friday by the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board due to a period of “sustained pressure” on services.
Health bosses asked people with winter viruses to stay away from the Royal Cornwall Hospital’s A&E department in Truro.
Residents are being urged to seek care from pharmacies, GP practices, or minor injury units for less serious conditions.
This is to help prevent unnecessary pressure on hospital services and ensure care is available for those in urgent need.
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Kate Shields, the board’s chief executive, said in a statement people had been advised to only attend A&E if they had a life or limb-threatening emergency.
Jon Clarke, deputy chief medical officer, said staff sickness was one of the reasons behind the decision and people with signs of viruses like flu had been asked not to attend the hospital.
Ms Shields said there was a high number of ambulances waiting outside the hospital and patients in the emergency department.
“We urgently need the public’s support to make sure we can see those who are sickest and have the greatest need,” Ms Shields said.
“Other NHS services are available, and we encourage you to use them whenever possible.”
A full list of hospital trusts that have declared a critical incident
In January 2025, the following trust/s issued critical incidents:
- University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospitals)
- NHS Devon (Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Torbay Hospital and North Devon Hospital) – according to the BBC
- University Hospitals Birmingham (Heartlands, the Queen Elizabeth, Good Hope and Solihull)
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (Derriford Hospital)
- Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Hampshire County Hospital and Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital)
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Liverpool University Hospital)
- NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (Royal Cornwall Hospital)
- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (East Surrey) – now stood down
- Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation (Arrowe Park Hospital, Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral Women and Children’s Hospital) – now stood down
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital) – now stood down
In December 2024, the following trust/s issued critical incidents:
These include:
- North Bristol NHS Trust (Southmead Hospital) – now stood down
Mr Clarke warned situation might have a “knock-on” effect on some services and lead to appointments being postponed.
Meanwhile, the East Midlands Ambulance Service, which covers six counties, declared and has now stepped down its first-ever critical incident, citing “significant patient demand, hospital pressures, and flooding”.
Declaring a critical incident can happen when a hospital is experiencing exceptional demand, or sometimes if there is a serious problem with staffing levels.
It indicates it can’t function as normal and allows the hospital, or ambulance service, to take extra measures to protect patients.
This can include discharging patients faster, turning away people who are less seriously ill or getting help from nearby hospitals.
It could last hours, a few days, or weeks if necessary.
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How can I protect myself?
Getting jabbed is one of the best ways to protect against these winter viruses.
The NHS is pleading with Brits to get vaccinated as cases and hospital admissions rise.
Flu, Covid and RSV vaccines are free to those who meet NHS eligibility criteria.
Adults aged 65 and over, care home residents and people aged six months to 64 years with specific underlying health conditions are all eligible for free Covid and flu jabs on the NHS.
Those not eligible for free vaccines can purchase one from their local chemist. There is some evidence to suggest wearing a face mask can protect you from catching the bugs.
An RSV vaccination programme has recently been deployed by the NHS. As of November 2024. More than one million have received an RSV vaccination.
The jab is available to those considered most vulnerable: older adults aged 75 to 79 and pregnant women.
Those not eligible can purchase a single dose of RSV vaccine from the pharmacy chain Boots for £245.
At this time there are no vaccines for norovirus – though some are in development.
So the best way to protect yourself from norovirus is to properly sanitise your hands, cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, let fresh air circulate and stay home if you’re unwell.
Delays in the rollout of the RSV vaccine may also mean some vulnerable people received it too late this year to be protected.
