Rise in visits to A&E at St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals

General view of an Accident and Emergency Sign at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

More patients visited A&E at St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals last month, with demand rising above the levels seen over the same period last year.

NHS England figures show 24,491 patients visited A&E at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in July.

That was a rise of 67% on the 14,650 visits recorded during June, and 62% more than the 15,104 patients seen in July 2022.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen two years ago – in July 2021, there were 16,871 visits to A&E departments run by St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals.

Most attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 30% were via minor injury units.

Professor Julian Redhead, NHS England's national clinical director for urgent and emergency care, said the figures are a reminder of the significant pressure staff are facing this summer.

He added the health service will need to prioritise emergency care “once again” as a fifth round of junior doctor strike are set to begin this week.

Across England, A&E departments received 2.2 million visits last month – down from June, but slightly above the number of visits seen in July 2022.

The NHS said the data suggests this summer is on track to be the busiest ever with 4.4 million attendances in A&E over June and July.

Siva Anandaciva, chief analyst at The King’s Fund, said: "The latest figures paint a grim picture, with only 74% of patients seen within four hours at A&E, rather than the target of 95%."

The operational standard target of 95% was replaced last year with an intermediary threshold target of 76% to be hit by March 2024.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We are working to get 800 new ambulances on the road, create 5,000 extra hospital beds and scale up virtual wards as part of our Urgent and Emergency Care plan to further reduce waiting times."

At St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust:

In July:

There were 347 booked appointments, up from 140 in June

71% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

943 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 4% of all arrivals

Of those, 193 were delayed by more than 12 hours