The Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has avoided a surge in A&E attendances, which has hit other trusts across England during July’s heatwave.

NHS England figures show that 11,132 people attended the trust’s emergency departments last month, 109 more than in July 2017.

Nationally record numbers of people flooded to A&Es in July, with respiratory problems, dehydration and other illnesses associated with the hot weather.

There were almost 2.2 million attendances, 100,000 more people than in July 2017, which NHS England described as an "unprecedented summer surge".

A spokesman said: “As temperatures soared, the NHS saw an unprecedented summer surge last month with a record 2.2 million patients attending A&E, and, thanks to the hard work of staff, nine in 10 people were seen, treated and admitted or discharged within four hours."

At the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 85.6% of people were seen, treated and admitted or discharged within the four hour target period.

That's better than July 2017 when 76.9% were dealt with in four hours. Hospitals are supposed to admit or discharge 95% of patients within the target time. Three years ago 97.2% were seen within four hours.

Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said the increased admissions during the heatwave had given staff no respite from the pressures and stresses of winter.

"What is of particular concern now, however, is that the summer months are traditionally the time acute hospitals and frontline staff have to recharge the batteries - this year we have had no respite and draining conditions," he explained.

"Last year NHS leaders admitted it took until October to recover from winter 2017 and we are now only a few months away from the next onslaught."

Emergency admissions have increased at the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Last month 2,504 patients were admitted after turning up at A&E, a 2% rise on 2017.

Donna Kinnair, director of nursing policy and practice at the Royal College of Nursing, said: "This summer's heatwave has hit healthcare services hard.

"With rising A&E attendance and admissions, hospitals up and down the country are now seeing winter conditions in summer, putting extra pressure on services that have barely recovered from the cold weather earlier this year.

"Nurses are seeing more cases of heart failure, renal failure and dehydration - all conditions linked to hotter weather.

"Older people are particularly at risk.

"With 20% more trusts breaching the four hour A&E target in July compared to June, it's clear our understaffed services are struggling to cope.”