May 14, 2020 5.20 pm This story is over 60 months old

A&E visits down 37% during lockdown in Lincolnshire

A&E attendance figures fallen to lowest since records began
By Local Democracy Reporter

A&E visits in Lincolnshire have fallen drastically, with coronavirus response likely to be playing a part in the new NHS data.

NHS England’s most recent figures show that United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (ULHT) attendances have fallen from 14,341 in the month of April 2019 to 9,037 in April 2020, a 37% decrease.

There has also been a significant drop in the last few months alone, with A&E trips shrinking by 31% between March and April of this year.

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the ongoing battle with COVID-19 is a large factor in the numbers reducing.

As lockdown rules have intensified, A&E visiting figures have dropped significantly, both locally and nationally.

ULHT makes up less than 1% of national A&E visits in April 2020, with national numbers dipping 57% in the last year to 917,000 attendances.

Michelle Harris, deputy chief operating officer for urgent care at ULHT, said: “Like all A&E departments and hospitals around the country the numbers and types of patients we have been seeing and treating changed with the arrival of coronavirus and also the lockdown.

“Many of those who did attend A&E in April were very poorly and needed specialist care.

“Lincolnshire’s Urgent Treatment Centres and A&E departments are open and safe for you to access in an urgent situation. We’ll give you the care you need.

“It has been a very challenging time for the NHS and I would like to thank all of our teams for everything they have done, and continue to do, to provide the best possible and safe care for our patients.”

The latest national statistics are the lowest recorded figures for any calendar month since records began in 2010.

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