Newly released figures have exposed a dramatic surge in the number of people attending Accident and Emergency departments for minor health complaints such as coughs, blocked noses, and headaches, placing immense strain on the NHS.
A Decade of Data: From Coughs to Constipation
The statistics reveal a stark shift in the reasons people seek emergency care over the last five years. While attendances for serious conditions like heart attacks and broken hips have remained steady, there has been an explosion in cases for ailments often manageable elsewhere.
The most startling increase is for coughs, which leapt from around 44,000 cases in 2020/21 to a staggering 435,728 in 2024/25 – a near tenfold rise. Similarly, visits for diarrhoea more than doubled from 59,120 to 143,646, and backache cases jumped from 211,266 to 396,724.
Other notable rises include:
- Constipation: 40,962 to 70,933
- Nausea: 9,795 to 20,516
- Hiccups: 587 to 1,093
In the 2024/25 period alone, 2.2 million patients left A&E with 'no abnormality detected', and over half a million departed before receiving an initial diagnosis.
A Symptom of a Struggling System, Not Just Patient Choice
Health leaders are keen to stress that symptoms which sound minor can sometimes signal serious illness, such as pneumonia or stroke. However, they agree the data points to a systemic failure in primary care access.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, argued the trend "lays bare a failure to give people enough access to convenient, responsive services closer to home." He called for neighbourhood healthcare to be "turbocharged" with more GP appointments to ease A&E pressure.
Dr Ian Higginson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, echoed this, stating: "This is a symptom of the healthcare system not working as it was designed to... If people are unable to access services, or they are unsure of other services available to help them, they will come to ED."
Winter Warnings and the Pharmacy Solution
The data emerges as the NHS faces its annual winter crisis, with officials warning of a 'tidal wave' of seasonal illness. Earlier in December 2025, several hospitals declared critical incidents due to flu admissions.
In response, there is a concerted push to direct patients to alternative services. Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, emphasised the need for "better, clearer systems to help patients navigate the NHS."
Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, highlighted the expanded role of pharmacists, who can now "supply prescription medicines on the NHS without the need for a GP appointment, for a range of common illnesses."
An NHS England spokesperson concluded: "The last place a patient wants to be when they have a minor illness is a busy A&E – that’s why this winter NHS staff are working hard to expand the number of routes into the health service."
