Drop in visits to A&E at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals last month

Fewer patients visited A&E at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals last month – but attendances were higher than over the same period last year, figures reveal.

NHS England figures show 23,739 patients visited A&E at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in February.

That was a drop of 4% on the 24,624 visits recorded during January, but 56% more than the 15,263 patients seen in February 2021.

The figures show attendances were below the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic – in February 2020, there were 24,171 visits to A&E at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals.

Around 49% of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 42% were via minor injury units.

Meanwhile, around 9% were via consultant-led departments with single specialties, such as eye conditions or dental problems.

Across England, A&E departments received 1.8 million visits last month.

That was a decrease of 3% compared to January, but 43% more than the 1.3 million seen during February 2021.

At Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust:

In February:

61% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

1,588 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 7% of patients

Of those, 732 were delayed by more than 12 hours

Separate NHS Digital data reveals that in January:

The median time to treatment was 139 minutes

Around 9% of patients left before being treated