Up to four out of every 10 patients calling in at hospital A&E departments are clogging up waiting rooms with non-emergency conditions and delaying treatment for more life-threatening illnesses, according to GPs.

Now a campaign has been started by Barking & Dagenham Commissioning Group urging people to get “more appropriate care” at GP surgeries, walk-in clinics and even the local chemist, rather than go to hospital.

“A&E shouldn’t automatically be the place to go for any problem,” warns Commissioning Group chair Dr Waseem Mohi. “It’s only for the most serious, life-threatening cases.

“Inappropriate use of A&E increases waiting times for those genuinely in need of urgent medical attention.”

Up to 40 per cent of visits to A&E end up with the patient just receiving advice or guidance rather than actual treatment, the Commissioning group points out.

Mary Feeney-Chirgwin, A&E Matron at Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust, said: “We treat people strictly in order of their clinical need. So if it isn’t a serious medical emergency, patients could get faster treatment without coming to the hospital.”

Local GPs are trying to ease the pressure on hospitals with community teams providing short-term intensive treatment in the home and by creating 25,000 more surgery appointments.

They are advising “self care” through the winter with healthy eating, exercise, keeping wrapped up outdoors, keeping the home warm and even stocking up on basic over-the-counter medicines such as paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen decongestant and aspirin.