A DROP in the number of people going to hospital during the cold snap shows that some patients don't need to be there, it has been claimed.

The figures for hospital visits, including to Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital A&E, show a fall in the number of attendances last week.

Between Tuesday and Thursday last week – as the country was in the grip of the 'Beast from the East' – there were 1,328 attendances to East Lancashire Hospitals Trust's (ELHT) emergency department, urgent care centres and minor injuries units, with 94.48 per cent of patients treated, admitted or discharged in four hours or less.

This compares with 1,910 attendances during the same period in the previous week.

East Lancashire's patients' champion Russ McLean said the data showed that some people who attend A&E for minor ailments and injuries chose not to due to the severe weather.

He also claimed that there was an element of people on society who think a trip to A&E is a 'day out.'

Mr McLean, chairman of the Pennine Lancashire Patient Voices Group, said: "There is that element of people in society who think a trip to A&E is a day out.

"There is evidence to support that, where unfortunately it has been well-established that 1/3 of people don't need to be there.

"The cold weather spell does seem to have put a few of these people off from going and staying at home instead.

"I would like to pass on my thanks though to staff at ELHT who have battled hard to treat patients due to the snow."

Cllr Munsif Dad, cabinet portfolio holder for health and communities at Hyndburn Council, said the reduction in hospital attendances showed people had heeded advice about preparing themselves and keeping warm and safe.

He said: "I think there are elements of "the Beast from the East" which have been well-advertised, and people have therefore been well aware of it and prepared themselves and kept warm and safe at home, rather than going to A&E or hospital."

County councillor Azhar Ali, former health and wellbeing cabinet member at Lancashire County Council, said: "The cold weather is certainly part of the reason for the fall, as schools have shut and people have been unable to get to work and stayed indoors in a warm, safe place instead."

ELHT chiefs said that although all elective and non-elective operations have gone ahead as scheduled, in a handful of cases, procedures were postponed when the patient was unable to attend due to the extreme weather conditions.

They also said there has been an increase in ice and snow-related incidents.

The weather saw a snowy blast dubbed the 'Beast from the East' hit England while Storm Emma also wreaked havoc, bringing blizzards, gales and sleet.

An ELHT spokesman said there has been a 'slight reduction' in attendances at its emergency department, urgent care centres and minor injury units in the past few days.

The spokesman said: "The severe weather has put significant pressure on the trust and is an added burden on top of the 'usual' winter demands.

"However, we have well-tested winter plans in place and our staff are pulling together and making immense efforts to maintain ‘business as usual’ for our hospital and community services.

"The wintry conditions cause specific injuries and we’ve seen an increase in elderly patients affected by the very cold weather, more patients with fractures as a result of falling in the snow, and our Orthopaedic staff have been particularly busy these last few days.

"Each winter there are extra pressures on the NHS, and each year we prepare thoroughly to manage those pressures.

"Our resilience plans – which are continuously updated to reflect new and changing circumstances, including adverse weather – are carried out with our partner organisations to make sure we meet the demands to our health and social care services."