Health chiefs at Colchester General Hospital last night admitted “it feels as if winter started in June” after official figures showed A&E waiting times were well over the national target this summer.

Almost one in five people were forced to wait more than four hours to be seen at the hospital’s emergency department last month – around 45 patients every day.

But hospital bosses said a huge rise in demand was partly to blame and insisted a “major reform programme” in their emergency department has led to “demonstrable progress”.

They also insisted “many patients” visit A&E despite having no “clinical need” to do so, after suffering broken bones or drug overdoses.

The figures, published in board meeting papers to be discussed at a public meeting at the hospital on Thursday, showed that, in June, only 85.7% of patients were seen within four hours at the hospital’s emergency department. It fell to 81.9% in July, against a national NHS target of 95%. It was a significant drop from 93.2% in May.

A hospital spokesman said: “In terms of the number of patients turning up at the emergency department at Colchester General Hospital, it feels as if winter started in June this year, which was the same as in 2014.

“For example, attendance rose every month during the first half of 2015, from a daily average of 185 in January to 230 in June, and in the second three months of the year ambulance activity at the department rose by 9.7% compared to the same quarter in 2014.

“However, the department has undergone a major reform programme during the course of 2015 which has contributed to some improvements in performance.

“We have invested in establishing three rapid assessment and diagnostic units – one for medical patients, one for surgical patients and one for frail and elderly patients – which has increased our ability to rapidly assess and treat patients, resulting in shorter hospital stays.

“The trust has made demonstrable progress in its emergency department performance so far in 2015 but recognises that this is still work in progress.

“For example, we have achieved the 95% national standard for only one week, but in December last year the number of ambulance handovers over 60 minutes was 285 and in March this year it was 343, and this fell to 89 last month. But we are working hard with the full support of partner organisations to deliver a plan to improve further and sustainably.”

The spokesman went on to warn people only to visit the emergency department during critical or life-threatening situations.

He said: “Examples of these (patients unnecessarily turning up at A&E) include loss of consciousness, heavy blood loss, suspected broken bones, persistent chest pain, difficulty breathing, overdoses, signs of a stroke, ingestion or poisoning.

“If you are feeling unwell, it is important to make sure you seek the right help and advice and are aware of all the options, which include self-care, pharmacies, GP surgeries, NHS 111, the Colchester walk-in centre and the minor injuries units in the community hospitals in Clacton and Harwich.”