MORE patients visited A&E in north Essex hospitals last month, with demand rising above the levels seen over the same period last year.

NHS England figures show 25,866 patients visited A&E at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust in October.

That was a rise of five per cent on the 24,521 visits recorded during September, and seven per cent more than the 24,134 patients seen in October 2021.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen two years ago – in October 2020, there were 16,104 visits to A&E departments run by the East Suffolk and North Essex Trust.

Neill Moloney is deputy chief executive at ESNEFT which runs Colchester and Ipswich hospitals and community services in east Suffolk and north Essex.

He said: “Our teams continue to do everything they can to respond to the high demand for our A&E services and deliver the best possible care – this, and keeping our patients safe, is always our top priority.

“Along with our partners across the health and social care sector, we are working hard to treat and admit, or discharge people, from our A&E departments quickly and safely.”

The majority of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care.

It is worth noting ESNEFT are Urgent Treatment Centres (UTCs), which fall under other A&E', rather than Minor Injury Units (MIUs).