A&E trips to Northampton General Hospital 35 percent higher than 2020 and adding to pressure on already-stretched NHS

Fewer patients went to A&E at Northampton General Hospital in November – but numbers were still up by more than one-third on the same period in 2020.

NHS England figures showed 11,367 patients visited the accident and emergency department last month.

That was a drop of eight percent on the 12,390 visits during October but a whopping 35 percent more than the 8,392 patients seen in November 2020 .

Hospital bosses say the continued high demand is adding to pressure on services already stretched by the Covid pandemic.

Figures showed that 70 percent of arrivals at A&E were seen within four hours at NGH, against an NHS target of 95 percent.

And 647 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit.

Around four percent of patients left before being treated.

Senior medics at both NGH and Kettering General Hospital have issued regular reminders throughout the pandemic for people to avoid visits to the Accident & Emergency departments unless absolutely necessary, offering advice on alternative routes for seeking treatment such as via the NHS 111 online and phone service, or asking at local pharmacies.

Urgent Care Centres at Brackley and Corby are also available to deal with injuries such as sprains or fractures, or significant medical conditions without an appointment.

NGH interim chief operating officer, Matthew Metcalfe, said: “We are seeing a very high number of attendances to our Emergency Department which is creating pressure on all of our services.

“Our local NHS colleagues are very busy. We would please ask for the support from our community to choose the best place for their care, and to take their loved ones home as soon as they are ready to leave the hospital.

“If people need medical care or advice for minor illnesses or injuries help is available from the NHS website, your local pharmacist, GP or NHS 111.”

Across England, A&E departments received two million visits last month, a decrease of six percent compared to October but 37 percent more than the 1.5 million from November 2020.