Flu: An NHS nightmare

Winter can bring severe respiratory infections and flu, and lead to patients flooding A&E departments. BBC News Online examines the potential for crisis.

The impact on the health service

The NHS was stretched to breaking point by last year's flu outbreak.

• Blair admits: people are suffering
  
• Flu 'the worst for a decade'
  
• Thousands of operations cancelled
  
• NHS chief calls for more cash
• Death highlights a service in crisis
• Struggling to cope: one hospital's story
  
• Nurse shortage has increased pressure
  
• Flu: Planning for the big one

The political fallout

• Labour peer attacks NHS funding
  
• Blair promises health cash boost
  
• Health insurance 'can ease NHS strain'
  
• Blair's political gamble

Around the UK

Last year's flu bug hit communities hard around the nation, particularly in some parts of Scotland where infection levels did reach epidemic proportions.

• Welsh hospitals inundated
• Flu claims Welsh rugby star
• Scots minister denies flu 'crisis' claim
• Flu lessons must be learned, says Scottish health chief
• Scots health minister under fire
• Scots author dies of flu
• NI hospitals treat patients in chairs
  

Diagnosis, treatment and vaccines

Flu is a debilitating condition, and can, in severe cases, be life-threatening. Doctors advise, however, that most flu patients should take an off-the-shelf remedy and go to bed.

• The symptoms of flu
• What to do if you have flu
• Curry put forward as a remedy
• Flu vaccination - the facts
• NHS workers should be vaccinated
• Predicting the flu of the future