A total of 1.6 million attendances were recorded in October 2020, down 26 per cent from 2.2 million in October 2019.
NHS England said the fall is “likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response” – suggesting that people are still staying away from A&E departments because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The year-on-year drop in A&E attendances of 26 per cent in October compares with falls of 20 per cent in September, 19 per cent in August and 30% in July.
– More than 400,000 patients in England had been waiting more than six weeks for a key diagnostic test in September
A total of 420,445 patients were waiting for one of 15 standard tests, including an MRI scan, non-obstetric ultrasound or gastroscopy. The equivalent number waiting for more than six weeks in September 2019 was 38,750.
The number has fallen in recent months, however, after peaking at 571,459 in May 2020.
Emergency admissions to A&E departments at hospitals in England also showed a fall last month, down 14 per cent from 563,133 in October 2019 to 481,846 in October 2020.
NHS England again said this is likely to be a consequence of the coronavirus outbreak.
– Total number of people admitted for routine treatment in hospitals in England was down 27% in September compared with a year ago
According to the latest NHS Endland figures, some 209,562 patients were admitted for treatment during the month, down from 288,230 in September 2019.
The year-on-year decrease recorded in August was 43 per cent, and in July the drop was 55 per cent.
