New figures show fall in West Midlands flu patients over Christmas week

Across four NHS Trusts in the West Midlands (Royal Wolverhampton, Sandwell and West Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall) 57 flu patients were treated over the Christmas week, compared to 68 the week before.

The NHS said the drop in temperature is likely to increase pressures in the new year, adding it is "not too late" for people to get the flu vaccine.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was the only trust to see an increase in flu patients each day in the week up to December 28, with the NHS winter situation report showing an average of seven flu patients were treated. That figure was up from four flu patients treated by the trust the week before.

Elsewhere, 12 flu patients were being treated by the Royal Wolverhampton Trust, down from 15 flu patients treated by the trust the week before.

At Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust there was an average of five patients each day, with one in critical care. That figure was down from 11 flu patients treated by the trust the week before.

The report also showed that an average of 33 flu patients were being treated by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust each day, with one in critical care. It was down from 38 flu patients treated the week before.

Across England, an average of 2,676 flu patients were in hospital each day during the Christmas week, down 13 per cent from the previous week.

The figure had previously been on an upwards trend, reaching 3,140 in the week ending December 14.

Some 128 flu patients were in critical care beds in England last week, up from 117 the previous week.

Professor Meghana Pandit, NHS national medical director, said: "It is welcome news to see a drop in the number of people being admitted to hospital with flu, thanks in part to the extraordinary efforts of NHS staff with more than half a million more people vaccinated against flu compared to the same period last year.

"The NHS is far from complacent as temperatures drop with this likely to increase pressures in the new year, and demand on services remaining high with NHS 111 services recording their second busiest day in two years on Saturday."

She said it is "vital" the public continue to only use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies.

She added: "If you haven't had your flu jab yet and are eligible, please come forward – it's not too late."