PEOPLE who do not need urgent medical treatment are being told to stay away from Hereford's accident and emergency department after an "extremely busy" period.

The Wye Valley NHS Trust, which runs Hereford County Hospital, said some people had been turning up to the A&E department with ailments such as a sore throat or self-diagnosed high blood pressure.

A spokesperson said those problems should have first been discussed with the NHS's 111 service, and not in A&E.

They added help can also be sought from pharmacies.

"The county hospital has been extremely busy in recent weeks and it is advising that anyone who turns up seeking medical treatment that is not urgent could face a long wait as the most sick patients are being prioritised," the spokesperson said. 

"In recent days people have turned up with such things as a sore throat, earache, a nosebleed, feeling weak after being out in the sun and self-diagnosed high blood pressure – all conditions which could have been discussed with a medic via NHS 111 rather than having to spend time waiting to be seen as they were not emergencies and did not need to be seen urgently.

Jon Barnes, chief operating officer at the trust added: “Please think twice before visiting the Emergency Department – consider if your illness/injury could be treated at home with advice from NHS 111 where trained advisors can discuss your condition and help you to access the most suitable treatment.

“If you need urgent or emergency treatment, we will be there for you, but we are assessing patients and those who are seriously sick are being seen first – so you could face a long wait if you attend and you don’t need urgent care.”