A fifth of A & E patients have non - treatable conditions such as athlete 's disease . More than four million visits a week are unnecessary and cost £ 290million . doctors have even had patients turn up at A & E because they are disabled . Problem is largely caused by difficulty in getting an appointment with a doctor .
A fifth of A & E patients have self-treatable conditions such as athlete 's foot . More than four million visits a year are unnecessary and cost £290million . Doctors have even had patients turn up at A & E because they are hungover . Problem is largely caused by difficulty in getting an appointment with a GP .