'Significantly' fewer people attending A&E at King's Lynn hospital during pandemic

The number of people visiting the Accident and Emergency department at Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital in March was down a fifth on the previous month, according to NHS data.

The figures, from NHS England, show that there were a total of 4,379 A&E attendances last month – a 19.6 per cent drop compared to February, when there were 5,448 A&E attendances at the QEH, and a 26.8 per cent decrease compared to March of last year when there were 5,984.

The statistics also mark the first time in at least a year that A&E visits at the QEH have been below 5,000.

In the past 12 months, the highest number of A&E attendances was reported in July of last year, when 6,309 people visited the QEH’s Emergency Department.

Denise Smith, chief operating officer at QEH said the figures reflected the national picture of “significantly” fewer patients attending A&E, and while they are “grateful” people with more minor conditions are using alternative options, they want people in West Norfolk to know they are still there for those with or without coronavirus.

Nationwide, A&E attendances in March were said to be at their lowest since records began in 2010.

Meanwhile, the data also shows that in March, in 83.6 per cent of A&E attendances at the QEH, patients were seen – and transferred or discharged – within four hours.

The four-hour target expects 95 per cent of patients arriving at A&E to be treated and then discharged, admitted or transferred within four hours.

In March, there were a total of 1,956 emergency admissions at the hospital via A&E, and 525 emergency admissions via other circumstances, meaning there were a total of 2,481 emergency admissions.

And the number of patients spending longer than four hours from the decision to admit to admission in March at the QEH was 293, while just one patient spent longer than 12 hours from decision to admit to admission.

But on Wednesday Mrs Smith said for April, so far, the QEH has achieved the four-hour standard to treat, or assess and admit, patients within four hours for more than 95 per cent of attendances.

Mrs Smith added: “Consistent with Trusts across the country, significantly fewer patients are attending our Emergency Department.

“We are grateful that people with more minor conditions are using alternatives such as 111 and local pharmacies.

“We want our local community to remember that are still here for urgent and emergency care for all patients, not just those with Covid-19.”