34% of Covid patients conveyed by Ambulance were not admitted to Kent Hospitals

Updated 29/01/21 @11:50am

The number of Covid-19 patients conveyed to the four Kent Acute NHS Trusts by South East Coast Ambulance between 1 Jan and 30 Nov was 7,362. The number of Covid-19 patients admitted onto a ward was 4,860. This means 33.99% of patients who attended a Kent Acute NHS Trust A & E by ambulance, were not admitted onto a ward.

Not all Covid-19 patients conveyed to hospital by ambulance are admitted [onto a ward] – some are treated or examined then discharged from the emergency department, as with all conditions, hence the reason for not being included in the hospital admission figures, according to spokespersons from EKHUFT and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

It is not known how many people who attended a Kent A & E by Ambulance, re-attended at a later date. The reason being is it would be a case of looking at every single patient’s record to check said an EKHUFT spokesperson. This implies  that EKHUFT and perhaps other trusts do not yet have a fully functional electronic patient system in operation.  If EKHUFT’s were operational, obviously records could be checked simply. Nor is it known how many of those 2,502 patients not admitted onto a ward may have died elsewhere.

The two other Trusts  Dartford & Gravesham and Medway have been asked for comment, but at the time of publication no response had been received. We will publish any response we receive from them.

The Shepway Vox Team

Journalism for the people NOT the powerful