The unwelcome rise came as health and social care secretary Wes Streeting warned the NHS faced a ‘tidal wave of flu tearing through our hospitals' and resident doctors remain scheduled to go on strike from 17-22 December.

A new offer was issued by Streeting to the BMA in a bid to end strike action yesterday.

Streeting said: ‘The offer I have made to the BMA would help solve the jobs problem resident doctors are facing, and bring an end to strike action this Christmas, which is the most dangerous time of year. I urge resident doctors not to inflict further damage on the NHS, vote for this deal and call off the Christmas strikes.'

Meanwhile, the NHSE said an average of 2,660 patients per day were in a hospital bed with flu last week – the highest ever for this time of year and up 55% up on last week.

The number of norovirus patients in hospital beds has also risen by 35% - to an average of 354 each day last week - as winter viruses start to engulf hospitals.

New monthly figures today show A&E attendances were a record for November at 2.35m and more than 30,000 higher than November 2024, while there were 48,814 more ambulance incidents compared to last year (802,525 v 753,711).

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Francesca Cavallaro, senior analytical manager at The Health Foundation, said: ‘The elective waiting list rose slightly in October but waiting times improved. However, this does not yet reflect the impact of the most recent resident doctor strikes. Progress will be hard to make with intensifying winter pressures, the threat of further industrial action and trusts struggling to deliver against tight financial plans.'

Nuffield Trust deputy director of research, Sarah Scobie said: ‘Our analysis of the Autumn Budget shows that growth in NHS spending is comparable to the slow growth seen during 2010s austerity. Such tight constraints will make it very difficult for the NHS to do everything asked of it, especially in the face of mounting problems like staff strikes and flu.'

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Helen Morgan said: ‘Liberal Democrats are calling for vaccines to be offered in community spaces across the country - from pubs to churches to protect vulnerable communities and protect our NHS from breaking point as we head further into the winter months.'

Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of The King's Fund, said: ‘It is going to take focus from the very centre of Government to grip this issue and support the Casey Review to ensure it does not face delays, and its eventual recommendations are considered seriously and real change is enacted. It will also require the Government to successfully shift focus to preventing illness in the first place and providing more care closer to home, allowing for people to be treated outside hospitals, leaving them as spaces for those who are more acutely unwell.

‘This will need to be delivered as the Government realises its plans for greater use of AI and technology in the NHS and further capital investment in and out of hospital to support NHS staff to do their best and deliver high quality care.

‘The dire situation currently outlines the urgency with which these reforms need to be implemented. An urgency that the secretary of state will need to follow through on if he is to achieve his pledge of ending corridor care by the end of the Parliament.'

Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said: ‘Now more than ever, the NHS needs all hands on deck.

‘We have to hope that BMA resident doctors will step back from next week's strike, take up the Government's sensible offer and end their damaging dispute.'

Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘If next week's resident doctor strikes go ahead, it will cause huge disruption for patients and staff, not just during the walkouts but for several weeks afterwards. We call on resident doctors to accept the Government's latest offer and end this long-running dispute without causing chaos ahead of Christmas.'

Professor Vivien Lees, vice president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: ‘Surgeons want to be operating, cutting waiting times, and helping meet the Government's 18-week pledge. However, ageing infrastructure, archaic IT systems and staff shortages are preventing this from happening effectively.   

‘Without urgent investment to modernise buildings, upgrade IT and tackle workforce shortages, the Government's waiting time targets will remain out of reach.'