More patients visited A&E at Dorset County Hospital last month, with demand rising above the levels seen over the same period last year.

NHS England figures show 6,732 patients visited A&E at Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in May.

That was a rise of 12% on the 6,028 visits recorded during April, and 33% more than the 5,049 patients seen in May 2020.

The figures show attendances were below the levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic – in May 2019, there were 9,037 visits to A&E at Dorset County Hospital.

The majority of attendances last month were via major A&E departments – those with full resuscitation equipment and 24-hour consultant-led care – while 32% were via minor injury units.

Across England, A&E departments received 2.1 million visits last month.

That was an increase of 11% compared to April, and 65% more than the 1.3 million seen during May 2020 – a reflection of lower-than-usual numbers for that month as more people avoided hospitals during the early days of the pandemic.

At Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust:

In May:

There were 85 booked appointments, down from 118 in April

83% of arrivals were seen within four hours, against an NHS target of 95%

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