People are being urged to consider alternative services before attending Hull’s Emergency Department this weekend after a large spike in attendances after dark.

As the hospital prepares for a busy weekend, Chief Operating Officer Teresa Cope made a direct appeal to people to keep away from Hull Royal Infirmary over the weekend unless they have a serious or life-threatening illness or injury.

She said: “We continue to see high numbers of people attending the ED and large proportion of patients could have been seen in other services.

“At midnight on Thursday, we had 100 people in our Emergency Department with 120 patients arriving between 7pm and 11pm when all the Urgent Treatment Centres at Bransholme, Beverley, Bridlington and Goole are open.”

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was already coping with an usually high level of bed occupancy this week after an influx of very sick people who needed to be in hospital and an increased number of patients waiting for discharge to other services in the community.

However, huge numbers also turned up at the Emergency Department when they should have gone to the GP walk-in service at Wilberforce Health Centre in Story Street, used their local pharmacy or visited an Urgent Treatment Centre.

If you live in Hull, visit www.hullccg.nhs.uk/other-services-2/local-services-and-your-health/find-local-services/ find out where you can go to be seen quickly.

You can visit http://www.eastridingofyorkshireccg.nhs.uk/choose-well/ to find the alternatives to A&E if you live in the East Riding.

If you are not sure where you should go for medical attention, call NHS 111.