The new NHS data shows that A&E departments often get besieged by minor issues such as sore throats, hiccups and ingrowing nails during the busy winter season, when doctors have to deal with rising flu cases and an upcoming doctors' strike.
There were more than 200,000 A&E attendances last winter for conditions that could have been dealt with at GPs or pharmacies, with nearly half of them (96,998) were for sore throat and 83,705 for earache.
The NHS is now throwing open more doors to care than ever before, making it simpler and quicker for people to get the help they need.
It has released a short film titled “24 Hours Not In A&E” as part of a campaign to help people navigate their health concerns and avoid unnecessary visits to A&E departments and GPs.
Pharmacy First will provide patients access to quick, easy support – including prescription-only medicines – for seven common conditions, including sore throat, sinusitis, and earache.
Pharmacists will be able to provide an emergency contraceptive pill and support people who have been newly prescribed antidepressants.
Nearly all (98.7 percent) GP practices are offering online consultation requests for patients, with eight million using it in October.
For more serious cases, new urgent treatment centres – where patients can get care for a range of illnesses and injuries – have been opening across England, including Plymouth, Lymington in Hampshire, and Yeovil in recent weeks.
These centres are equipped to investigate, diagnose, and deal with many of the most common injuries and illnesses people attend A&E for – and are open at least 12 hours a day, for both walk-ins and appointments booked via NHS 111.
The NHS App allows patients to request appointments, check their health records, receive reminders, or even order repeat prescriptions.
Health secretary Wes Streeting recently remarked at an ITV show that “A&Es should be accident and emergency, not anything and everything”.
These measures by the NHS come at a time when flu cases are on the rise and ahead of the resident doctors’ strikes from 17-22 December.
Julian Redhead, NHS National Director of Urgent and Emergency Care, said: “The last place a patient wants to be when they have a minor illness is in a busy A&E – so this winter NHS staff are working hard to expand the number of routes into the NHS so patients can get fast and convenient care closer to them.
“Whether the services are online, over the phone or in-person, a variety of doorways to care are open across the NHS."
