HOSPITALS could be set to face a tougher Christmas this year than last, officials warn.
The number of patients in beds with the winter vomiting bug norovirus is already three times as high as this time last year in England, NHS data shows.
Overall, there are more than 1,200 more patients in hospitals than in the same week in 2022, with experts warning flu and RSV in children will also continue to pile on pressure.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, of the NHS, said: “We all know somebody who has had some kind of nasty winter virus in the last few weeks.
“Today’s data shows the continued impact of infections like flu and RSV in children on hospital capacity — all likely to be exacerbated by this week’s cold weather
“It is clear that even before we enter December the demand on hospitals and staff is high and we know that is likely to grow considerably before Christmas.”
An average of 90,144 patients were in general and acute beds every day last week, compared to 88,902 at the end of November in 2022.
Some 351 had diarrhoea and vomiting symptoms — signs of norovirus — up from 126 in the same week the year before.
Meanwhile, 153 had fly and 131 children were in hospital with RSV, a common virus that can cause bronchiolitis in babies and children under two.
Miriam Deakin, of NHS Providers, said: “Demand for and pressure on the NHS continue to bite.
“Last winter was the worst that many in the NHS can remember and this time could be even tougher.
“As temperatures plummet, pressure on the NHS hots up with winter illnesses and bugs like flu adding to already high demand on services and staff.”
The data also shows that a quarter of patients arriving by ambulance at hospitals last week waited at least 30 minutes to be handed over to A&E teams.
Some 22,588 delays of half an hour or longer were recorded across all hospital trusts in the week to November 26.
This was 25 per cent of the 89,506 arrivals by ambulance, where the handover time was known.
However it is lower than the 31 per cent figure for the equivalent week last year.
Some 9 per cent of handovers last week, or 8,239 patients, were delayed by more than an hour, compared with 15 per cent in this week in 2022.
Sir Stephen said: “There has been a significant reduction in ambulance handover delays despite higher demand.
“The public can also play their part by using services in the usual way and by getting their Covid and flu jabs if eligible.”
The main symptoms of norovirus are:
You may also have:
The symptoms start suddenly within 1 to 2 days of being infected.
Source: The NHS
