Research and analysis

Syndromic surveillance summary: 29 May 2024 week 21

Updated 27 June 2024

Reporting week 21: 20 May to 26 May. 

During week 21, ED acute respiratory infections and GP in-hours upper and lower respiratory tract infections continued to decrease in line with expected trends, but they remain just above seasonally expected levels. GP in-hours and ED pneumonia indicators also remain above expected levels. Gastroenteritis indicator activity was generally stable during week 21 however activity remained elevated and above expected levels across selected systems.

Remote health advice syndromic surveillance system

During week 21 NHS 111 online assessments for vomiting increased slightly and are currently above seasonally expected levels. NHS 111 calls for diarrhoea were stable but remain above expected levels. 

Please note that recent updates to the NHS Pathways clinical tool used by NHS 111 have affected the reported levels of certain syndromic indicators. As a result of these changes all individual respiratory indicators have been removed from this report and replaced with a generic ‘acute respiratory infections’ calls indicator. Please see the bulletin for further information.

Access the remote health advice syndromic surveillance bulletins here.

GP in hours syndromic surveillance system

During week 21, GP consultations for upper and lower respiratory tract infections decreased, but both remain above levels expected for the time of year. Pneumonia consultations increased slightly and remain above expected levels. Gastroenteritis indicators were stable during week 21 but remain above expected levels.

Access the GP in hours syndromic surveillance bulletins here.

GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance system

During week 21, GP out-of-hours contacts for eye problems increased nationally and particularly in children under 5 years, but overall, contacts remained within seasonally expected levels. All respiratory indicators decreased during week 21 and are at or near seasonally expected levels. Contacts for gastroenteritis and diarrhoea remain above expected levels.

Access the GP out-of-hours syndromic surveillance bulletins here.

Emergency department syndromic surveillance system

During week 21, ED attendances for acute respiratory infection decreased across all age groups but overall attendances remain above seasonally expected levels. Pneumonia attendances continued to decrease but they remain above expected levels with attendances in the 5 to 14 years age group observed to be decreasing at a slower rate. Scarlet fever attendances continued to show a decreasing trend during week 21 but they remain above expected levels.  

Access the emergency department syndromic surveillance bulletins here.

Ambulance syndromic surveillance system

During week 21 ambulance calls for difficulty breathing continued to decrease but remained above baseline levels. All other indicators remained stable or decreased during week 21.

Access the ambulance syndromic surveillance bulletins here.