Coronavirus outbreak sees KGH A&E attendances hit five-year low

A&E attendances at KGH since coronavirus began to spread in the county are at their lowest for five years.

Over the past 12 months the Rothwell Road hospital's crowded emergency department has seen about 8,000 patients a month, with a record high of 8,685 in July 2019.

But last month as Covid-19 made its way through Northamptonshire just 5,904 people came through the doors for emergency treatment - the lowest since the NHS began collating monthly figures in June 2015.

KGH’s chief operating officer Jo Fawcus said: “We are very grateful to our local community for heeding the national coronavirus messaging of protecting the NHS by staying at home and utilising services such as NHS111 and its website.

"However people who do have serious medical conditions and need A&E care should still come to us - and we are prepared to deal with those patients.

"They should not ignore obvious signs of an existing serious condition deteriorating.

“Overall though, by not attending for less serious conditions, people are reducing the risk of infection being brought into the hospital and are enabling us to cope with supporting seriously ill patients - both those with coronavirus and those with other medical or surgical emergencies."

In the past two months Covid-19 has been the hospital's biggest battle, with 66 patients who had tested positive for the virus there dying so far including seven in one day.

In a bid to increase capacity and reduce the risk of the virus spreading the hospital has increased telephone consultations, move children's A&E rooms and temporarily ended their blood test service.

Ms Fawcus added: “We would like to thank all of our local community – and regular patients – for their patience and support at this difficult time for the NHS.”

Low attendances have also been seen at Corby's Urgent Care Centre.

Attendances there dropped to just 4,503 in March, the first time they had dipped below 5,000 since August 2015.

December 2019 was the Cottingham Road health complex's busiest month since the NHS began their monthly figures, with 8,059 people coming through the doors.