Drop in visits to A&E at Liverpool University Hospitals Trust last month

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

NHS England figures show 24,545 patients visited A&E at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in August.

That was a drop of 3% on the 25,283 visits recorded during July, but 3% more than the 23,927 patients seen in August 2020.

The figures show attendances were below the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic – in August 2019, there were 28,559 visits to A&E at Liverpool University Hospitals Trust.

The majority of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 25% were via minor injury units.

Meanwhile, around 1% 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 6% compared to July, but 19% more than the 1.7 million seen during August 2020.

At Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:

In August:

There were 631 booked appointments, up from 501 in July

66% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

2,145 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit

Separate NHS Digital data reveals that in July:

The median time to treatment was 145 minutes

Around 13% of patients left before being treated