THE trust responsible for Oxford's hospitals has reduced the number of patients who frequently visit A&E thanks to a partnership with other health services.

While the number of people who repeatedly show up at the John Radcliffe and Horton Hospital's emergency departments is small, in the past they have represented almost 10 per cent of all attendances.

Seeking to find a solution, clinicians at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) have worked with Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust to create a new system that tackles the complex physical and psychological health reasons behind the visits.

As a result of the programme, A&E departments saw a 64 per cent reduction in monthly attendances in quarter four of 2017/18.

Steps include closer work with physical health clinics, increased transparency with patients, and improved record-keeping to make sure all health professionals involved with patient care in the emergency department are kept as up-to-date as possible.

Dr Deon Louw, emergency department lead for mental health at OUH, said: "Our collaboration with other health workers has been a vital part of our success in treating people with complex health issues."

He added: "We know that emergency departments can be a difficult place for people presenting with a mental health crisis – that’s why collaborating with other services, including community organisations and the voluntary sector, is so important."