Experts today said the 50 per cent fall in Londoners seeking medical help in A&E during the coronavirus pandemic was “very worrying” and merited urgent investigation.
New analysis by Imperial College London found young Londoners and those living further from hospitals were the most likely to shun casualty due to concerns of contracting Covid-19.
But there had not been a corresponding fall in the number of emergencies being brought in by ambulance — suggesting people were becoming sicker at home while failing to seek help.
The report examined in detail the drop in attendances at St Mary’s hospital in Paddington, and at Charing Cross hospital in Fulham, as well as the picture London-wide.
The two hospitals — both part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust — saw a 35 per cent fall in attendances after March 12, from 28,774 to 18,576.
Emergency attendances were down 60 per cent for acute coronary syndromes, 26 per cent for stroke, 52 per cent for obstetric emergencies and 47 per cent for cancer-related conditions.
This resulted in a 48 per cent drop in the number of non-Covid patients who then had to be admitted to a ward for further treatment, compared with previous years.
Attendances for injuries were down 64 per cent. Researchers suggested this could in part be due to lockdown as people left home less and travelled less.
A&E attendances did not increase even after the number of deaths passed its peak in London in early April.
Researcher Michaela Vollmer said: “The altered use of A&E by the public is a very worrying development.”
