Thousands of 'unnecessary' trips to A&E flagged by NHS

ACCIDENT and emergency units in England treated more than 200,000 people last year who could have been dealt with elsewhere, health officials have said.

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Last winter patients sought help for a variety of illness which officials say could have been handled by GPs or pharmacists, including blocked noses, sore throats and earache, NHS England said.

Emergency departments in England dealt with 8,669 cases of itchy skin, 384 people with hiccups, and 96,998 patients who sought help for 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.