Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his Answer of 3 July 2020 to Question 64076, what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of acute NHS Hospital Trusts in England to manage a seasonal flu outbreak combined with a significant increase in covid-19 cases.

As outlined in the answer on 3 July 2020, the Government continues to support the National Health Service to manage winter pressures. The flu vaccination programme will be a critical part of preparing the United Kingdom for winter, and to manage pressures on the NHS should we have co-circulation of seasonal flu and COVID-19 this winter.

In July, the Prime Minister announced £3 billion to support NHS capacity this winter. In addition, in August a further £300 million of capital funding was announced to upgrade accident and emergency departments across the country to help prepare the NHS for winter.

Guidance has already been issued to the NHS on the process of starting to restore urgent non-COVID services in a safe way, whilst ensuring surge capacity can be stood up again should it be needed.