THE number of people going to A&E has dropped in Winchester, prompting concerns that the seriously ill may be staying away because of the coronavirus crisis.

Data from Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the city's hospital, shows that there has seen a 35 per cent drop in recent weeks of the number of people coming to its emergency departments in Winchester and Basingstoke.

Alex Whitfield, HHFT chief executive, has reminded residents that they’re still open for non-coronavirus patients.

She said: “We have been trying to say to members of the public that we are open for business and we can still care for you even if you haven’t got Covid symptoms or if you have, so we are a bit concerned in the drop off in attendances.

“I heard of someone who got a breast lump and had not attended their GPs for a couple of weeks. Some children are also not being bought in to see their GPs.”

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She added: “It is safe to come to hospital; we will care for people when they come here. It is important if you are poorly that you access that important healthcare.”

The trust has seen a 35 per cent drop in terms of the number of people coming to the emergency department.

Ms Whitfield added: “We are down 35 per cent compared to the same time last year which is a huge shift down.

“Chest pain for example is 30 per cent down across Basingstoke and Winchester.

“Abdominal pain is down 48 per cent which could come from indigestion to appendicitis.”

In previous weeks figures released by the trust showed that there was a 43 per cent decrease in the number of people turning up to the department, it would normally expect to see 150 patients a day but recently A&E has only seen around 85 people.