Three in 10 people ‘uncomfortable’ to attend A&E if advised to by doctor

Around three in 10 adults would not feel comfortable attending A&E for urgent care if they needed it, a survey suggests.

Some 61% of adults said they would feel comfortable to attend a hospital appointment if their doctor asked them to, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Almost a quarter (23%) said they would feel uncomfortable with this, while 29% said they would feel uncomfortable about going to hospital for emergency treatment.

Just over half (55%) said they would feel comfortable about visiting the emergency department if advised.

And 14% said they would not feel comfortable seeing a healthcare professional in person.

Research has suggested the UK could experience up to 35,000 excess deaths within the next 12 months as a result of delays in cancer diagnosis and care.

And the Royal College of Physicians said that doctors are worried that their patients’ health may have worsened as a result of service disruptions.

The ONS analysed responses from 1,235 people aged 16 and over in Great Britain who were polled between July 29 and August 2 as part of its Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.

Respondents felt more comfortable about seeking medical advice remotely, it found.

Almost three-quarters (72%) said they would feel comfortable to speak over the phone with a medical professional, while 66% said they would be happy to attend an online appointment.

It also found that 41% of adults said the Covid-19 outbreak was affecting their wellbeing.

Of these, 14%, roughly one in seven, said they were worried about losing their job.

And 10% reported they were worried about returning to work.

Over half of respondents (53%) said they strongly supported localised lockdowns, which have started to emerge across the UK.