NHS's real problem is underfunding not Australian flu, says virologist

[Northerner]

A leading virologist has said there has been no major outbreak of Australian flu in the UK and its threat is obscuring the real problem facing the NHS, which is underfunding.

Concerns have been raised that an epidemic that hit New Zealand and Australiaduring the southern hemisphere’s winter could now be affecting the UK, after a sharp rise in flu-related hospitalisations and deaths.

The latest official figures showed that the number of hospitalisations in England almost tripled in a week from 2.33 to 6.82 per 100,000 of the population. There were also 24 flu-related deaths in the last week of 2017, matching the toll from the start of winter up to that week. Influenza-related deaths and hospitalisations are running at double the rate of last year.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...derfunding-not-australian-flu-says-virologist

 

[mikeyB]

You don’t have to be a virologist to figure that out. In fact, you don’t need any GCSE’s. It’s bleeding obvious.

 

[trophywench]

Yup - saw the winter pressure at work today - facture clinic appointment at 14.20, needed Xray before so we usually go half an hour or so early, get my Xray, then proceed to clinic and wait say 10 mins and see the man.

Today, 45 mins early turn up at Xray who say there's a 90 min delay, and there was absolutely no seats available to wait so standing room only. I only waited just over a hour (although people who were called just before me had been there 2 hours, but there again, whether Xray, MRI or CT scan it's the same initial waiting area, so they may all have need scans or something. After another 10 outside the Xray room, I was seen and proceeded to Fractures.

By the time I went in at 16.20 - they were running 2 hours late there and the waiting room was still bursting at the seams!