Over 200,000 people were treated for minor ailments in A&E last winter
More than 200,000 people attended accident and emergency departments in England last year for conditions that could have been treated elsewhere, according to health officials. Throughout last winter, patients presented at A&E with various ailments that officials say should have been managed by GPs or pharmacists, such as blocked noses, sore throats and earache, NHS England reported.
Emergency departments across England saw 8,669 cases of itchy skin, 384 people suffering from hiccups, and 96,998 patients seeking treatment for a sore throat. Staff in A&E also treated over 6,000 cases of blocked noses, nearly 84,000 earaches, and 3,890 cases of ingrowing toenails between November 2024 and March 2025. The health body warned that A&Es are “under siege from hiccups and ingrowing toenails”.
The figures emerge as health leaders unveiled a campaign emphasising the variety of services available for patients to access care, cautioning that A&Es are “busier than ever”. Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “A&Es should be accident and emergency, not anything and everything”.
Health officials have also expressed worries about rising flu levels and the potential impact of upcoming resident doctor strikes in England.
Mr Streeting added: “This winter will be one of the busiest ever for our hard-working NHS staff dealing with soaring flu cases and tough pressures across A&Es up and down the country. That will be made even harder by the BMA’s dangerously reckless decision to strike in the run-up to Christmas, causing real anxiety for patients and their families at such an important time of the year.”
He continued: “We are doing all we can to make sure patients are kept safe and get the right care during this time of intense pressure. We can all do our bit this winter by making sure we only use A&E in for genuine accidents and emergencies.”
Mr Streeting has issued a warning that the five-day walkout scheduled from December 17 could place patients at risk.
Julian Redhead, NHS England’s national director of urgent and emergency care, explained: “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.”
He added: “The current flu wave and strikes will increase the chances of hospitals getting much busier this winter – and it’s more important than ever that patients are getting the care they need in the most appropriate place.”
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