ONE PATIENT has sought treatment at Hillingdon Hospital’s accident and emergency department more than 140 times in the last nine months.
The startling figure has been released by the hospital to highlight the unnecessary pressure being put on the busy unit.
It lists 13 unidentified people as persistent visitors, clocking up at least 280 visits between them since April 2011.
Six patients attended between 20 and 29 times, three between 30 and 39 times, two between 40 and 49 times, one between 50 and 59 times and one a staggering 140 to 149 times. Exact figures are not recorded.
The hospital says most of the persistent visitors have mental health or alcohol-related problems and that it is working with other agencies to meet their needs.
Joan Davis, of action group Community Voice, said the visitors can have an impact on the perceived efficiency of the department.
“They skew the figures,” she added. “I have considerable sympathy with the hospital, since they have a duty of care towards them. However, there are inadequate facilities for dealing with them.”
Community Voice monitors and campaigns on health issues on behalf of patients in Hillingdon, Harrow and south west Herts.
Ms Davis called for more co-operation between the hospital trust and mental health services, which she said could offer care in the community.
About 120,000 patients visit the A&E department each year, with a further 35,000 getting treatment from the minor injuries unit at Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood.
A hospital spokesman said: “A small number of patients re-attend disproportionately and this poses a major challenge to us.”
She added to be able to focus on those who needed hospital treatment they encouraged patients to think whether they needed to visit A&E, or could go to their GP or, if in doubt, seek advice from their GPs instead.
