New and updated items follow first.
Flu activity has decreased. The NHS said that Christmas gatherings may have caused a resurgence in flu and other winter viruses. But the week to 11 January 2026 has seen a 1.8% fall in hospital admissions. The cold snap has ended, but people are still struggling with respiratory conditions, flu, breathlessness and wheezing, and services remain “extremely busy”. It remains to be seen what will be the effect of returns to work and education; staff sickness and travel delays aren’t helping either. Risky A&E make-shift areas and corridor care, which are becoming the norm in hospitals across the country, are a big concern.
Latest reports; Week 5 – 11 January 2026:
- Flu activity decreased and is circulating at low levels
- COVID-19 activity remained stable and is circulating at baseline levels.
- respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity decreased slightly and is circulating at medium levels.
- Norovirus has increased in recent weeks but remains at expected levels; the highest rates are now in children and people 65 years old and over.
The latest data shows on 4 January frontline healthcare worker flu vaccine uptake was at 46.9% overall. Why isn’t it more? Appointments for SWF patients were cancelled this last week because of staff sickness.
A Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)’s investigation following the death of a 67-year-old woman, treated at Broomfield Hospital in 2023, has triggered the unusual step of asking for a systemic review of cancer treatment and diagnosis wait times at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust’s action plan commits to:
- Look at how it can better allocate resources and increase capacity to reduce wait time;
- Use new technology to improve efficiency by standardising and digitising processes, and specialist software to analyse cancer pathways and identify delays;
- Holding weekly meetings to track progress and ensure the longest waiting patients are prioritised; and,
- Implement a one-stop menopausal bleeding clinic which will offer scans and a consultant review at the first appointment to help with timely diagnosis.
We continue to monitor progress after the recent CQC report that the leadership of our local hospitals was inadequate.
Life-saving Jess’s Rule is to be advertised in every GP surgery. Jess’s Rule asks GPs to take a “fresh eyes” approach and think again if, after three appointments, they have been unable to offer a patient a substantiated diagnosis or their symptoms have escalated.
- Posters raising awareness of the life-saving Jess’s Rule will be delivered to all 6,170 GP practices in England this week;
- Jess’s Rule makes sure GPs take a ‘fresh eyes’ approach with patients, making them think again to diagnose and catch serious illnesses earlier;
- The posters, co-designed with Jessica Brady’s parents, roll out nationwide as part of a major patient safety drive.
The initiative, announced in September 2025, is named in honour of Jessica Brady, who died of cancer in December 2020 at the age of 27. It will help avoid tragic, preventable deaths as GPs are supported to catch potentially deadly illnesses sooner.
More than 500 new ambulances are now being deployed across the country to boost NHS winter response and cut response times for patients in every region.
The key message from all authorities remains: Everyone eligible get your flu jab and only attend A&E in an emergency. This year’s version of flu is different. We have less immunity, so the spread is greater. Children and young people are most affected. The flu vaccine is free on the NHS for those over 65-years-old, young children, pregnant women, those with certain health conditions, carers, and front-line health and social care workers. People in other groups can get the same vaccine for a fee from local pharmacists.
The NHS is now rolling out the addition of a vaccine to the routine childhood programme to protect against chickenpox. The combined MMRV vaccination means many thousands of children will gain additional protection against chickenpox for the first time in the UK. Just 2 doses of this vaccine will provide long-lasting protection again 4 serious diseases: measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (also known as varicella).
Parents and guardians are urged to check your children’s vaccination records. Almost one in five children starting primary school are not fully vaccinated against serious illnesses such as measles and polio. Ensuring vaccinations are up to date is a priority. Vaccines are free on the NHS, with catch-up appointments available through GPs and school programmes.
The Government has accepted the advice of the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) for the Spring 2026 Covid-19 vaccination programme. This spring, a COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to those in the population most vulnerable to serious outcomes from COVID-19 and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination. Vaccination will be offered in England in spring 2026 to:
- adults aged 75 and over
- residents in care homes for older people
- individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed.
This eligibility criteria is the same as in Spring 2025 and Spring 2024. It is similar to Spring 2023 and Spring 2022, with the addition of the younger age groups.
Resident Doctors’ went on strike between 17-21 December. Data on the impact is awaited. “Patients must be able to trust medical professionals with their lives and health. To justify that trust [they] must make the care of patients their first concern, and meet the standards expected of them…. .” Is striking in keeping with that duty? With financial constraints, long waiting times for treatments, and patients suffering the consequences of these strikes, do they have public support?
It’s terrible that the NHS has had to publish updated Principles for providing patient care in corridors! “The use of corridor care is never acceptable and must be avoided when caring for patient groups including:
- children
- mental health patients
- patients with learning disabilities, neurodivergence or autistic patients
- patients with physical disabilities
- patients who have dementia, confusion or delirium
- patients who are confirmed or suspected of being infectious
- patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- patients who are severely frail
- patients who are at end of life.
Nevertheless, recent reports suggest patients are being given end-of-life care in A&E corridors. Hospices are struggling to provide beds and it’s unclear if sufficient end-of-life community support is available. Is this acceptable? Meanwhile, NHS bosses urge patients not to clog up A&E with everyday niggles. Local research highlights:
- 42% of people who visited A&E for a non-emergency said they went because they believed they would be seen faster.
- 22% later realised they could have been treated by another NHS service such as a pharmacy, NHS 111 or their GP practice.
- 43% of people say they’ve had a winter illness recently. Over half chose to manage at home, while a quarter sought advice from their pharmacy.
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