Middle-aged flu victims driving A&E admissions

Dr Mayada Elsheikh said Bradford Royal Infirmary was the busiest she'd known it in 13 years

Middle-aged flu sufferers have driven a 13-year high in admissions to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

A spike in cases of the virus has been blamed for the 500 patients a day currently being treated at the hospital.

A senior doctor said the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department was the busiest she had known it since 2011.

Hospital managers have introduced a restriction of one visitor per patient, other than those accompanying children or adults who are critically unwell.

The A&E department Dr Elsheikh is in charge of has been treating more than 500 patients a day

Dr Mayada Elsheikh is the consultant lead for emergency medicine at the hospital.

She said: "On average a busy A&E department would see 300 patients a day; we're seeing 500-plus.

"When it's on consecutive days, it's unsustainable.

"I've worked in Bradford since 2011 and I don't remember it ever being this busy."

She added: "Every day we are hitting new records with very, very unwell patients. We think it's probably due to the fact that we've got a significant rise in flu."

Dr Elsheikh urged those who were eligible for Covid and flu vaccinations to take up the offer.

She said: "With flu, it usually tends to affect our very frail, older patients, so that means 77 and above.

"But actually, we are now seeing a lot of younger patients, so that's our middle-aged group who are aged anything between 40 to 77."

People with minor ailments or injuries are being encouraged to call the NHS 111 advice line or talk to their GP or pharmacist.

Dr Elsheikh added: "Our pharmacists are really, really good and are able to do a lot more than people think they can.

"They're able to treat and diagnose minor illnesses probably a lot quicker than you would get if you are waiting for a GP or in A&E.

"All we can do is ask for our community to help us.

"So if they can avoid coming to the A&E department, which is for accidents and emergencies, please avoid it and that's how you help us."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.