Doctorcall, London’s leading provider of 24/7 hotel visiting doctor services, has reported a 63% year-on-year increase in hotel callouts for the first week of December.
This surge comes as the UK faces mounting pressure from what is being labelled a “quad-demic,” with rising cases of flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and other respiratory illnesses.
The increase reflects growing demand for on call medical care, particularly among travellers affected by the rising prevalence of flu.
Recent reports indicate a more than 350% rise in flu-related hospitalisations across the NHS, highlighting the severity of the season – which was anticipated by experts following Australia’s challenging winter, that is seen as a precursor to the UK’s flu season.
Dr Charles Levinson, Doctorcall Medical Director and flu pandemic expert, said, “Our data, from both hotel visits and home visits, aligns with national trends showing a significant increase in respiratory illnesses. The NHS is grappling with unprecedented pressures, with flu hospitalisations tripling in some areas and emergency care wait times reaching critical levels.
In this challenging environment, private healthcare services like ours play an essential role in bridging the gap, especially for travellers who may not be familiar with the UK healthcare system or who need immediate, convenient care during their stay.
90% of these cases are able to be treated successfully at home, taking pressure off A&E and other NHS services. Cases are treated at an earlier stage of disease progression, therefore meaning fewer complications such as pneumonia.
It also keeps infectious patients away from busy hospital settings containing vulnerable patients and hundreds of others, reducing the spread of the virus in question.
The increase we’ve seen in hotel callouts reflects the broader national picture: flu season is hitting harder and earlier than expected, with complications exacerbated by other respiratory illnesses. This has been reflected across all of our services, we are anticipating our busiest ever December.”
