Record-breaking demand as A&Es heat up, just hours before junior doctors’ strikes get under way
Record-breaking demand as A&Es heat up, just hours before junior doctors’ strikes get under way
Visits to Emergency Departments (EDs) rocketed on Monday 12 June 2023, with more people coming through the doors than ever before.
It comes just hours before hundreds of junior doctors prepare to strike.
Croydon University Hospital saw 622 unwell patients needing to see an emergency care doctor in 24 hours – 16% above the previous busiest summer day on record on 17 June 2021.
Demand for emergency care also soared dramatically yesterday across London’s hospitals.
More than 1,250 people went to one of St George’s, Epsom and St Helier’s three EDs – a rise on the previous record of 1,170, and a huge increase on a typical day of about 800 attendances.
Kingston Hospital set a new record seeing more than 530 people visiting its Emergency Department in one day, including 78 ambulances and 455 walk-ins.
Dr Subhro Banerjee, Medical Director and a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said:
“We saw record-breaking demand at Croydon University Hospital on Monday – higher than the peak of the pandemic – and soaring temperatures combined with the upcoming strikes means that emergency departments are under increasing pressure.
“More than a quarter of patients seen were suffering with breathing problems, including many vulnerable and unwell people. With the Met Office saying the ‘pollen bomb’ is going to continue with the warm weather, we need the public’s support in using emergency departments only when someone is seriously ill or injured.
“For medical help or advice, and to avoid long waits, go to 111 online (www.111.nhs.uk) unless it is a life-threatening emergency in which case, call 999.”
Members of the British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association will strike for 72 hours from 7am on Wednesday 14 June until 7am on Saturday 17 June.
This action will impact services at hospitals, and will mean that some appointments, procedures and operations may be postponed to ensure emergency care can be prioritised. Patients will be contacted directly if their appointments are rescheduled, and should continue to come forward for care as normal, unless they hear otherwise.
Temperatures in London are expected to be hotter than Ibiza when these strikes start, with the UK Health Security Agency and the Met Office extending their heat-health alert to 19 June.
When temperatures rise, more people, especially those in high-risk groups, can suffer from illnesses like heat exhaustion and dehydration, as well as sunburn.
The pollen count has also been very high, and there has been a surge in people visiting EDs with shortness of breath. This might not be anything to worry about, but it is scary and sometimes those who are experiencing it will need medical help. NHS England has this advice for people who are affected.
If you have an underlying respiratory condition, you should contact your GP or asthma nurse as needed – unless it is an emergency, in which case you should call 999 or go to ED immediately.
Everyone should stay safe and well in the hotter weather, and take steps including: keeping windows closed when the room is cooler than outside; staying hydrated and looking out for people who may struggle to keep cool and hydrated themselves, such as elderly relatives or neighbours;
You should also stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, apply suncream regularly, and wear a hat.
To find out more about staying safe during hot weather, visit the NHS’s website.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
ED attendances on Monday 12 June were as follows:
- St George’s: 580
- Epsom and St Helier: 674
- Kingston: 533
- Croydon: 622