Four NHS trusts declare ‘critical incidents’ amid surge of flu and norovirus cases

Four NHS hospital trusts in south east England have declared a “critical incident” as they struggle to cope with a surge in admissions due to flu and norovirus.

Three trusts in Surrey and one in Kent said the escalations have come after a “surge in complex attendances to A&E departments” driven in part by soaring numbers of patients with winter illnesses.

Health secretary Wes Streeting has warned the NHS is “not out of the woods yet”, as flu cases spiked once again last week, following two weeks where admissions had fallen after high numbers of cases were seen before Christmas.

In a statement on Monday, NHS Surrey Heartlands added the situation had been “exacerbated by increases in flu and norovirus cases and an increase in staff sickness” as well as the impact of the recent cold snap on more frail patients.

The three Surrey trusts affected are Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust ,and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) also declared a critical incident due to what it called “sustained pressures” at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

It said its hospitals are experiencing “exceptionally high demand, driven by a continued high admission rate and a large number of patients with winter illnesses and respiratory viruses”.

NHS Surrey Heartlands urged patients to ensure they are using services “appropriately” and only attending A&E in an emergency.

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Source: The Independent, 13 January 2025