NHS patients blocking up A&E with hiccups, sore throats and ingrown toenails

England’s A&E departments treated more than 200,000 people last winter who could have been handled by GPs or pharmacists, health officials revealed.

NHS England said patients sought help for a variety of minor ailments suitable for primary care, including 8,669 cases of itchy skin, 384 people with hiccups, and 96,998 patients with a sore throat.

A&E staff also dealt with more than 6,000 cases of blocked noses, almost 84,000 earaches, and 3,890 cases of ingrowing toenails between November 2024 and March 2025.

The health body said A&Es are “under siege from hiccups and ingrown toenails” as it launched a campaign highlighting the range of places patients can access care.

Health secretary Wes Streeting told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Tuesday that “A&Es should be accident and emergency, not anything and everything”.

Health officials have also raised concerns about increasing cases of flu and the impact of forthcoming resident doctor strikes in England.

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Mr Streeting said: “This winter will be one of the busiest ever for our hardworking 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.

“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 for genuine accidents and emergencies.”

Mr Streeting has warned that patients could be put at risk by the walkout planned for five days from 17 December.

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Julian Redhead, NHS England’s 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. 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.”