The effects of the rising flu rate are being seen across A&E departments, Health Secretary Shona Robison said yesterday. Latest figures show the number of people reporting flu-like symptoms shows no sign of slowing.
In the week ending January 7, the flu rate doubled and 77.9% of people were treated in A&E within four hours. The number of people with flu-like illness is four times higher than the same period as last year.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Emergency departments continue to feel the effects of the steep rise in flu cases.
“Patients with flu-like illnesses are cared for in single rooms or in wards with other patients with the same type of flu. This is to ensure infection control and to reduce the spread, and while it can often mean waiting a little longer in A&E to be admitted, it is paramount for the safety of all patients.
“Despite the flu rate doubling in a week, A & E performance remained broadly the same, with nearly four out of five people attending A&E admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours. I thank again all health and social care staff who are delivering such fantastic patient care in this tough period.
Dr Rory Mackenzie, Chief of Medical Services at University Hospital Monklands said: “The rise in patients presenting in emergency departments with flu-like illnesses with severe symptoms requiring admission to hospital has resulted in major pressures on the existing systems at a time when historically emergency activity increases. As always, our primary focus is always on ensuring the safety of our patients and this remains our priority.
“As a result of the high number of flu-like cases, we have adapted our winter contingency planning, opened additional beds to help and added additional shifts across medical, nursing and support services. We are grateful to our staff for volunteering through this busy period.
“In particular, we have welcomed the help of our health and social care partnership in facilitating as many discharges as possible from our acute hospital beds.”
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