Gavin Grey: UK correspondent on the tidal wave of flu and winter issues facing the region

Hospitals in England are being hit by a "tidal wave" of flu and other winter viruses, NHS bosses say.

Data released showed there were an average of nearly 1,900 beds occupied by flu patients last week – up 70% on the week before.

The service is running at near bed capacity and getting worse.

UK Correspondent Gavin Grey joins the show to discuss this and more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And we're going live to London now. Givin Gray is
our UK correspondent. Givin good evening, Good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yeah, good evening, Andrew and hospital Ry.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Aye, Sorry man, that's okay, it happens. I just call me,
call me whatever you want. Just give me the Newsvin,
tell me about the hospitals. The title wave of flu
and winter virus is heading.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah, It's really been something that comes every year. They
warn about winter viruses, winter flus being really bad and
a shortage of beds. But I fear this year that
that disaster scenario could really happen, that we reach capacity
of beds. And that's because in the last week alone, Ryan,
the number of beds occupied by flu patients has gone

(00:43):
up seventy percent seven zero percent, so one nine hundred
hospital beds currently occupied by flu patients. Of course, many
of them elderly who suffer much more dangerous symptoms from
these flu viruses doing the rounds. There are lots of
coffe colds and bugs doing the rounds this winter. And
of course hospitals already under tremendous pressure here anyway, So

(01:08):
I'm afraid, Yeah, were the bosses of some hospitals in
England describing this as a tidal wave of flu and
they are urging people to get vaccinated against the bugs
of flu and of course coronavirus which is still around.
But I think it's going to be a very very
tough period for hospitals, with figures back from last month,

(01:29):
the most recent month figures available showing a quarter of
patients waiting longer than four hours in accident and emergency.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah, that's never good. Hey, the summer riots, we all
remember the guy who tried to sit fire to that
asylum seeker's hostel or hotel. He's now being jailed. What's
happened there?

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah, it is the longest sentence handed to anyone taking
part in those riots than before. So this is a
thirty one year old man from Barnsley in the north
of England who had initially denied violent disorder and arsen
with intent to endanger life, but he later pleaded guilty
to the charges and has been sentenced to nine years

(02:12):
Levi fishlocks his name. He smashed windows and stoked a
flaming bin, so it basically a bin was on fire
and he ran out at the holiday in Express in Rotherham.
There was a night of disorder on the fourth of August.
The hotel had been used to house asylum seekers in
a controversial policy of the previous government. In this government,

(02:33):
they've simply run out of spaces to keep people waiting
for asylum. And he was basically released from the same
area as that of a four hundred strong crowd who
attempted to set far to this hotel in South Yorkshire.
There was large scale disorder that day. Sixty police officers
were injured as riot as many armed weapons circled the

(02:56):
hotel and there was indisputable CCTV of the man Levi
Fishlock going about and breaking the law in that way.
This was a very strong sentence and the judge said,
this is a really a sort of a way of
showing people that they are taking these riots very seriously
and to put people off taking part in others.

Speaker 1 (03:19):
Goodness, may tell me about all the goths from Buckingham
Palace this Christmas. There's been a bit of scandal.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
Indeed, Ryan, well, I know, you know, I know, we
all like a good Christmas party, don't we. Thankfully it
doesn't often end in arrests, but according to reports, up
to fifty members of Buckingham Palace staff were at a
bar near Buckingham Palace called All Bar One. They were
having a good Christmas party when all of a sudden,

(03:48):
it was said that problems erupted and a twenty four
year old woman was arrested on suspicion of common assault,
criminal damage and being drunken disorderly. And yes, we believe
the twenty four year old was a member of staff
from Buckingham Palace. It's thought perhaps a maid or something.
There were reports that a customer had smashed glasses and
attempted to assault a member of staff. Now Buckingham Palace

(04:11):
says it's going to take appropriate action. We don't know
what that means, saying the facts will be fully investigated.
The woman was reported to given a penalty notice for
disorder by the police, having been taken into custody and
held until the following day. It happened on Tuesday. It's
only just been revealed, however, and the spokesperson their confirming
staff had been at a reception at the Palace that evening,

(04:34):
but stressed that the incident had occurred at an unofficial
gathering elsewhere, so not on the royal premises, but nearby
and it looks like a member of royal staff. So embarrassing,
and dare I say, lots of questions being asked about
the policies of what happened that night and staff parties.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
Absolutely, you'd almost well, if you worked there, you'd want
to have your party at Buckingham Place, wouldn't you. I
suppose that was yeah, keep it in the head.

Speaker 2 (05:02):
But who'd serve all the drinks? That's the question, because
they'll all be at the party.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
Well that's a good point. Well, if they were serving
their own drinks, then there would be no waiters injured.
I suppose would be the upside. Thank you, Thank you
very much for that. Kevin Gavin Gray are UK correspondent
with a bit of goths from Buckingham Palace.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
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