Record rise in patient numbers places Yorkshire A&E staff under huge strain

Accident and Emergency staff in parts of Yorkshire are under “huge strain” following a record rise in patient numbers.

The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts reported that there had been a 17.4 per cent increase in the first week of June compared with the same period in 2019.

One trust has said it expects to see 1,000 additional patients this month, while another reported its highest ever daily admissions figure of 828 on 7th June.

The West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT) represents six hospital trusts, Bradford, Calderdale & Huddersfield, Leeds, Mid Yorkshire, Harrogate and District, and Airedale. It said the increase was not Covid-related and that patients were attending with the more usual injuries and illnesses seen by emergency departments.

Dr Helen Law, a consultant in emergency medicine at the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said the demand was approaching that seen “during the peaks of Covid”.

She went on to say “In recent weeks we’ve seen a huge increase in demand and need for our care, both walk-in patients and more seriously ill patients.”

Dr Law said the increase in figures was “a big deal” for already overstretched departments.

“Our staff are already tired after working through the Covid pandemic and each shift is busy and relentless and there are times we are really struggling to cope.”

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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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