'Hospitals will be crippled by swine flu'

A SECOND wave of swine flu could cripple already over-stretched intensive care units in London, it was claimed today.

The chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, has predicted that 19,000 could die from the disease in the worst case scenario.

But new figures obtained by the Conservatives suggest intensive care units are already at their limit.

In London, which has a larger number of intensive care beds on average than the rest of the country, more patients per hospital were discharged early last year — with an average of 23 — than the national average of 13.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said: "The Government urgently needs to review its plans in order to help the NHS provide extra beds to deal with the pandemic."