Rise in visits to A&E at Mersey Care

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

More patients visited A&E at Mersey Care last month, with demand rising well above the levels seen over the same period last year.

NHS England figures show 10,716 patients visited A&E at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust in September.

That was a rise of 23% on the 8,700 visits recorded during August, and nearly five times as many as the 1,504 patients seen in September 2020.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic – in September 2019, there were 2,392 visits to A&E at Mersey Care.

All of last month's attendances were via minor A&E departments – those which treat minor injuries and illnesses such as fractures, cuts and bruises.

Across England, A&E departments received 2.1 million visits last month.

That was an increase of 4% compared to August, and 26% more than the 1.7 million seen during September 2020.

At Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust:

In September:

There were 3,261 booked appointments, up from 2,688 in August

More than 99% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%