Rise in A&E visits in Northampton General Hospital as lockdown eases

Visits to Northampton General Hospital's A&E increased last month, but still remain well below pre-pandemic levels, new figures show.

It reflects the trend seen across England.

NHS England data shows 7,197 A&E attendances were recorded at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust in May.

This was an increase of 32% on April, but still 38% below the same month last year.

NHS Trusts across England dealt with 1.3 million A&E attendances in May, up from 917,000 in April – making them the two quietest months since such records began in 2010.

However, last month's total was still 42% below May 2019, which NHS England said was likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said the reduction had helped ease overcrowding, but said patients should not be afraid to get care.

Dr Katherine Henderson, president of the organisation, said: "Emergency Departments are safe and if you are injured or seriously ill you should go right away.

“If patients have an issue but only have mild non-urgent symptoms it is important to seek help from the right source. Pharmacists, NHS 111 and GPs are all there to provide care.

“By choosing the right service patients can get the help they need while keeping the NHS safe and reducing the risk of further spread of coronavirus."

The NHS figures show emergency admissions at Northampton General Hospital followed a similar pattern as A&E attendances, rising from 2,607 in April to 2,678 in May. In May 2019, there were 3,499 emergency admissions.

Dr Simon Walsh, British Medical Association emergency medicine lead, said: “It’s incredibly worrying to see that patients haven’t been using the NHS as much as expected during the Covid-19 pandemic, and even though we’re currently battling a virus, it’s important that anyone who still needs our help, knows they can get it.

“Putting off seeing the GP or going to A&E for emergency care at this time can not only cause a backlog in the NHS once people feel more comfortable about seeking help, but can also, and most concerningly, potentially damage patients’ health, especially those with chronic conditions.

“We appreciate the public being so considerate at this time and really thinking about whether they need to use the NHS, but our principles have not changed: we will be there for anyone who needs us, pandemic or no pandemic.”