This will have a knock-on effect for planned operations.“While waiting lists are reducing, they are not coming down fast enough to guarantee the Government will meet its milestone on the 18-week target within this Parliament.

The boss of NHS England has urged Brits to get vaccinated before Christmas with cases of ‘festive flu’ on the rise. Cases of Flu, norovirus (the winter vomiting bug) and RSV (a common cold and cough) have significantly risen in the UK this winter.

A “TIDAL wave” of flu infections has led to a 70 per cent surge in hospital cases in England in just seven days, the NHS has said. Health chiefs are now pleading with eligible Brits to

The boss of NHS England is urging people to get vaccinated before Christmas to protect against serious illness and "festive flu".

An average of 1,861 patients suffering from the flu were in hospital each day last week, compared with 1,099 in the previous seven day period, according to NHS data published on Thursday. The number of flu patients in critical care beds in England increased from 39 to 66 over the same period and the health service is urging those eligible for a jab to get themselves vaccinated to avoid “festive flu”.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: “The tidal wave of flu cases and other seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is really concerning for patients and for the NHS – the figures are adding to our ‘quad-demic’ worries.

The NHS has warned Londoners to brace for a “tidal wave” of flu as new figures showed that the number of hospital beds occupied by patients with the disease was up 61 per cent in a week. An average of 144 beds in the capital were occupied by flu patients in the week up to December 8, a sharp rise on the figure of 89 recorded the previous week.

NHS England has warned services “tidal wave” of infections and are bracing for a “quad-demic” of bugs this winter, with the increase in cases of flu, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and expected increases of Covid-19.

NHS England has warned of a “tidal wave of flu hitting hospitals” as the number of hospital beds occupied by patients with flu surged by 70% in a week. A&Es had their busiest November on record, with doctors seeing 2.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "The tidal wave of flu cases and other seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is really concerning for patients and f

The national medical director for NHS England said: "The tidal wave of flu cases and other seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is really concerning for patients and for the NHS."