MORE patients visited A&E at the Somerset Trust last month, with demand rising above the levels seen over the same period last year.

NHS England figures show 15,764 patients visited A&E at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Musgrove Park Hosital in Taunton, in June.

That was a rise of 11% on the 14,257 visits recorded during May, and 48% more than the 10,685 patients seen in June 2020.

The figures show attendances were above the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic – in June 2019, there were 14,560 visits to A&E at the Somerset Trust.

The majority of attendances last month were via minor A&E departments – those which treat minor injuries and illnesses such as fractures, cuts and bruises – while 44% were via major departments, with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care.

The Trust runs minor injury units in Minehead and other Somerset towns.

Chard & Ilminster News: Yeovil Hospital

The figures also show 5,161 patients visited A&E at Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in June.

That was a rise of 3% on the 5,011 visits recorded during May, and 36% more than the 3,791 patients seen in June 2020.

Across England, A&E departments received 2.2 million visits last month.

That was an increase of 4% compared to May, and 53% more than the 1.4 million seen during June 2020 – a reflection of lower-than-usual numbers for that month as more people avoided hospitals during the early days of the pandemic.

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust:

In June:

There were 13 booked appointments, down from 17 in May

86% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

84 patients waited longer than four hours for treatment following a decision to admit