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 24,779 patients visited A&E at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust in April.

That was a drop of 9% on the 27,376 visits recorded during March, but 11% more than the 22,282 patients seen in April 2021.

The figures show attendances were well above the levels seen at the start of the coronavirus pandemic – in April 2020, there were 11,281 visits to A&E at sites run by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals.

Around 47% of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 45% were via minor injury units.

Meanwhile, around 8% were via consultant-led departments with single specialties, such as eye conditions or dental problems.

Across England, A&E departments received 2 million visits last month.

That was a decrease of 7% compared to March, but 9% more than the 1.9 million seen during April 2021.

At Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust:

In April:

Just 59% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

1,718 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 7% of patients

Of those, 724 were delayed by more than 12 hours