A&E attendances at Blackpool Victoria lowest for months

NHS England figures show 18,098 patients visited A&E at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in April.

That was a drop of 7% on the 19,467 visits recorded during March, but 13% more than the 15,951 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 7,302 visits to A&E at sites run by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals.

The majority of attendances last month were via minor A&E departments – those which treat minor injuries and illnesses such as fractures, cuts and bruises – while 46% were via major departments, with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care.

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 Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:

In April:

There were 671 booked appointments, up from 562 in March

Just 78% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

1,553 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit – 9% of patients

Of those, 928 were delayed by more than 12 hours.

The large number of people attending the department in the months up to Christmas and into the New Year saw ambulances waiting to hand over patients.