Up to two-fifths of A&E visits could be avoidable - amid a rise in hospital attendance for THREE common issues By KATE PICKLES, HEALTH EDITOR FOR THE DAILY MAIL Published: 02:04, 31 December 2024 | Updated: 02:18, 31 December 2024 e-mail View comments Busy A&Es are seeing rising numbers of patients seeking emergency help for hiccups, blocked noses and headaches, an audit has found. Analysis of NHS data shows growing attendances for minor ailments including coughs, feeling sick and insomnia, heaping unnecessary pressure on stretched services. Up to two-fifths of attendances are avoidable or could be better treated elsewhere, estimates suggest.
But long waiting times and difficulties getting GP appointments are exacerbating the issue, with health officials urging the public to 'play their part' by reserving A&E for genuine emergencies. In total, there were 24,664,177 unplanned attendances to emergency departments across the country last year, where causes were recorded. This included more than a quarter of a million (257,915) for earache - up ten per cent on the previous year.
Cases where headache was the chief complaint rose 12 per cent over the previous 12 month period, from 379,127 cases to 423,297 while backache up was up 13 per cent from 324,443 to 365,327. Complaints for coughs and those attending due to insomnia both rose 15 per cent, from 322,500 to 369,264 and 1,343 and 1,544 respectively. A rising number of patients are attending A&Es with hiccups, blocked noses and h.
