Londoners urged to only go to A and E in emergencies
It's as the health service braces for its busiest time of the year.
Londoners are being urged not to go to A&E over Christmas unless it’s really urgent, to help ease the pressure on the capital's hospitals.
Health bosses are expecting high numbers of patients over the festive break, with staff stretched and beds in high demand
They’re asking anyone with minor illnesses or injuries to use alternatives like pharmacies or NHS one-one-one instead.
London GP Dr Ellie Cannon told us just how much added pressure is put on hospitals by people going to A and E when they really don't need to.
"The research shows more than 4 in 10 people have admitted to going to A&E because they think it would be quicker, but a quarter of those admit in hindsight they would have been better off managed by a different NHS service.
"There were more than 200,000 A&E attendances last winter for conditions that could have been treated elsewhere. There were over 8000 for itchy skin, and 96,000 for a sore throat.
"Pharmacists are experts in things like sore throats and itchy skin which they can treat so, actually if you go to A&E, you are not going to be seen by the best healthcare professional".
Dr Ellie told us that if you have a non-urgent medical condition that you do want to be seen by a healthcare professional, the advice is to use local pharmacies or NHS 111 for minor problems.
"If we can help people to understand online access, how to use 111, how to use an online pharmacy, hopefully we can keep people out of A and E who don't need to be there".