'We need flu vaccinations in pubs, churches and roving jab vans'
Torbay's MP Steve Darling wants the response ramped up
Despite the resident doctors' strike, there's calls for flu vaccinations to be offered in pubs, churches and 'roving jab vans'.
The latest figures show across the South West there's 128 people-a-day in hospital because of the flu.
Torbay MP Steve Darling said: "Torbay’s A&E is already under incredible pressure before the flu surge, with vulnerable patients waiting days to be admitted at A&E. Without bold action, our local NHS may reach breaking point.
“This year, we must get more jabs in arms or local people will suffer. That’s why I’m calling for vaccines to be offered in community spaces in Torbay - from pubs to churches - to prevent a disaster for our local health services and protect our elderly and vulnerable residents.
"This campaign comes as hospitalisations for flu have risen by 55% across the country, with an average of 2659 patients in hospital beds with flu each day last week, up from 1717 the week before and up from 1724 at the same point last year."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has also urged the Government to introduce emergency measures, adding: "Patients are facing a truly terrible winter crisis, with dangerously overwhelmed A&E departments and ambulances that can’t reach them in time – and this irresponsible decision by the BMA will make it worse. Our NHS now faces a brutal, perfect storm.
"The Government must declare a national emergency, offer flu jabs unconditionally and commit new funding to prevent our NHS being pushed to the point of collapse.
“Anything less would be an act of negligence and could put patients under threat. I urge Keir Starmer to meet this moment and take the bold steps we need before it’s too late.”
It comes as some experts believe the health secretary's description of the current flu season as the 'worst crisis since Covid' went too far.
More people have been vaccinated this year than in 2024 - and the health watchdog says the virus is only circulating at "medium levels".
Professor Christina Pagel, a member of SAGE Committee and Professor of Operational Research at UCL, says we shouldn't be too worried, adding: "Wes Streeting did put in some reforms and this means we are coping better.
"A&E waits and ambulance response times are lower this year than they were last year - so there is improvement in the NHS. To kind of say that this is the worst crisis that we've faced since Covid I think is really hyperbolic."