'Don't miss out on urgent care' as A&E admissions plummet - The Redditch Standard

'Don't miss out on urgent care' as A&E admissions plummet

Redditch Editorial 20th May, 2020   0

PEOPLE are being urged to seek the urgent care and treatment they need after visits to A&E in April dropped by almost 60 per cent.

Seeking medical help is one of the four reasons that people can safely leave home, in line with government guidance. NHS staff have worked hard to put in place measures allowing people to access care safely – such as splitting services into Covid and non-Covid. Yet latest figures show that many people are not seeking treatment due to coronavirus fears.

From April 1 – 22 there were 4,763 A&E visits at hospital trusts covering the Midlands, compared with 11,703 during the same period last year. Emergency admissions have also dropped significantly by more than 40 per cent.

To help remind people the NHS is still there for them it has recently launched a campaign called ‘Help Us Help You’, sharing the best way for people to get the help they need for a range of symptoms.




Those with the following symptoms should visit A&E as soon as possible: Loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped, severe allergic reactions, severe burns or scalds and major trauma such as a road traffic accident.

People should call 999 immediately if they or someone else is having a heart attack or stroke.


Nigel Sturrock, Medical director at NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands, said people should not be put off attending A&E if they believe they need to.

“While NHS staff have pulled out all the stops to deal with coronavirus, they have also worked hard to ensure that patients who don’t have Covid-19 can safely access essential services. Ignoring problems can have serious consequences – now or in the future.”

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