This will have a knock-on effect for planned operations.“While waiting lists are reducing, they are not coming down fast enough to guarantee the Government will meet its milestone on the 18-week target within this Parliament.

The boss of NHS England has urged Brits to get vaccinated before Christmas with cases of ‘festive flu’ on the rise. Cases of Flu, norovirus (the winter vomiting bug) and RSV (a common cold and cough) have significantly risen in the UK this winter.

UK public health officials have issued a winter virus warning as flu positivity levels jumped from 11.6% to 17.1% in a week, amid low vaccine uptake.

According to the UKHSA, flu vaccine uptake data indicates that just 36 per cent of those under 65 years in a clinical risk group have had their flu jab, compared to 38.3 per cent at the same point last year – with 71.4 per cent of all those aged 65 years and over taking up the offer, compared to 75.9 per cent last year.

Extreme winter pressures and a flu 'tidal wave' have exposed the ‘cavernous gap’ between low numbers of nurses and rising demands

NHS England has warned services “tidal wave” of infections and are bracing for a “quad-demic” of bugs this winter, with the increase in cases of flu, norovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and expected increases of Covid-19.

NHS England insists ‘the public have an important part to play’ as hospitals are more full than at this point in previous years and still filling up fast

NHS England has warned of a “tidal wave of flu hitting hospitals” as the number of hospital beds occupied by patients with flu surged by 70% in a week. A&Es had their busiest November on record, with doctors seeing 2.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "The tidal wave of flu cases and other seasonal viruses hitting hospitals is really concerning for patients and f