Visits to A&E drop in Portsmouth - but remain higher than same time last year

NHS England figures show 14,017 patients visited A&E at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust in April.

That was a drop of 4 per cent on the 14,594 visits recorded during March, but 20 per cent more than the 11,673 patients seen in April 2022.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen two years ago – in April 2021, there were 11,447 visits to A&E departments run by Portsmouth Hospitals.

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

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

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Dr Mark Roland, Deputy Medical Director at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, said: ‘These latest figures show visits to our Emergency Department at Queen Alexandra Hospital remain high, so we are urging our local community to help us by only using the Emergency Department for life threatening conditions and injuries, such as severe blood loss, chest pain, loss of consciousness and strokes.

‘Your local NHS has a number of different services that you can access if you or your loved ones need medical help for non-life threatening conditions and illnesses, including pharmacies, Urgent Treatment Centres and GP surgeries.

‘If you aren't sure where to go for help and support, please contact NHS 111 via phone or online.

‘We thank the community at this time for their support.’

Across England, A&E departments received two million visits last month.

That was a decrease of 6 per cent compared to March, and a similar number as seen during April 2022. The number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments across England from a decision to admit to actually being admitted stood at 26,900 in April, down 32 per cent from 39,700 in March. The figure hit a record 54,600 in December 2022.

Nuffield Trust fellow Jessica Morris said: ‘Three-quarters of patients left A&E within the four-hour target in April, up from two thirds in December 2022.

‘However, in most cases emergency care services are still struggling to meet targets, so given the massive backlog of planned treatment and the knock-on effect that has on other parts of the NHS, we still have a very long way to go.’

Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, said: ‘Resolving the current pay disputes should help avoid more short-term disruption, so the recent headway made by the government and trade unions is welcome.

‘However, this will not address the underlying challenges facing the health service and those who work in it. The workforce plan, long promised by the Government to address chronic staff shortages and improve retention, must be published.’

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said strides made in emergency care ‘in the face of incredible pressure’ is testimony to the hard work of frontline staff.

For more information on the best place to go for medical treatment, visit https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/knowwheretogo