Drop in visits to A&E at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital last month

Fewer patients visited A&E at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital last month – but attendances were higher than over the same period last year, figures reveal.

NHS England figures show 27,290 patients visited A&E at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in April.

That was a drop of 10% on the 30,214 visits recorded during March, but 14% more than the 23,984 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 10,111 visits to A&E at sites run by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

The majority of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 33% were via minor injury units.

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 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust:

In April:

There were 687 booked appointments, up from 661 in March

870 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 3% of patients

Of those, 19 were delayed by more than 12 hours