Hospital flu cases already at high level - trust

People are being advised to get flu vaccinations as cases are already rising

Flu admissions in Birmingham hospitals are already at high levels, a medical officer says, as the NHS urges people to get vaccinated with winter setting in.

University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) currently has 115 in-patients with flu in its four hospitals, with those suffering other respiratory illnesses like Covid, RSV and paraflu, bringing the total to 200.

Prof Kiran Patel, chief medical officer for UHB, said seven flu patients were being treated in intensive care, with such totals not usually seen until around Christmas, with patients likely to face "significant delays".

Even a small rise in flu cases can add "a lot more pressure on hospitals", Prof Patel added.

UHB manages four hospitals, Queen Elizabeth, Heartlands, Good Hope and Solihull, where each have more flu patients than normal.

NHS England said those who are eligible for the flu vaccine include pregnant women, people aged 65 and over, people with long term health conditions, as well as carers and people living with someone with a weakened immune system.

Children aged two and three, and other school aged children are also eligible.

'Longer waiting times'

"At the moment we are seeing flu cases about six weeks earlier than we would normally expect to see, so we are on the uptick of a really significant rise in flu," Prof Patel explained.

"In the last three weeks we have seen more attendances to our emergency departments than we would normally expect, about 8% more than average.

"[This] is enough to cause significant delays for patients, longer waiting times in the emergency departments and longer delays in getting patients through the hospital.

"So it does provide a lot more pressure within the hospital when we see more of a presence of patients."

People can book an appointment to get the vaccine at their local pharmacy or by NHS App or online.

Sheila Tonks, 74, a great great grandmother from Bournville in Birmingham, has been a patient at Queen Elizabeth hospital for a week with flu after she missed getting the vaccine this year.

Sheila Tonks has been a patient at Queen Elizabeth hospital for a week

She said she now "regretted" missing out on the vaccine, as it has exacerbated her existing breathing conditions such as bronchitis and asthma.

"I missed it this time as I was doing other things and I now regret it as it may have made it easier to recover," she said.

"When your bones hurt and the rest of you hurts, it's nothing like you've just got a cough or a cold, it is worse."

Mark Garvey, clinical director for infection prevention control at the trust, said there have been a "few more mutations than normal" of flu this year.

Prof Kiran Patel said seven patients with flu are currently in intensive care at the trust's four hospitals

He said they also track other countries that have flu earlier than the UK, such as Australia, to compare.

"This year they had more cases of influenza compared to previous years, so if we base this on how we've already seen more cases of the flu in the UK, then this is going to keep rising over winter and that makes me more worried," he said.

Paul Fisher, UKHSA West Midlands consultant in health protection leading on winter infections, added he was "concerned that some people may not realise they're eligible for a free flu vaccine".

"It's best to get immunised as early as possible, as it takes the vaccine a few weeks to provide maximum protection."