QA Hospital’s A&E visits down last month – but up on the same period in 2022

63% of arrivals at QA Hospital's A&E department were seen within four hours in July, against an NHS target of 95%

NHS England figures show 14,968 patients visited A&E at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust in July.

That was a drop of 2% on the 15,217 visits recorded during June, but 8% more than the 13,858 patients seen in July 2022.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen two years ago – in July 2021, there were 14,003 visits to A&E departments run by Portsmouth Hospitals.

Most attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 24% were via minor injury units.

Meanwhile, around 5% were via consultant-led departments with single specialities, such as eye conditions or dental problems.

Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England's national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said the figures are a reminder of the significant pressure staff are facing this summer.

Across England, A&E departments received 2.2 million visits last month – down from June, but slightly above the number of visits seen in July 2022.

The NHS said the data suggests this summer is on track to be the busiest ever with 4.4 million attendances in A&E over June and July.

Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at The King’s Fund, said: "The latest figures paint a grim picture, with only 74% of patients seen within four hours at A&E, rather than the target of 95%."

The operational standard target of 95% was replaced last year with an intermediary threshold target of 76% to be hit by March 2024.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We are working to get 800 new ambulances on the road, create 5,000 extra hospital beds and scale up virtual wards as part of our Urgent and Emergency Care plan to further reduce waiting times."

At Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust in July:

*There were 1,970 booked appointments, down from 2,050 in June;

*63% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%;

*1,698 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 11% of all arrivals. Of those, 24 were delayed by more than 12 hours.