People suffering from minor or non-life threatening injuries and illnesses are being urged to avoid going to A&E this winter as the NHS in north Kent creaks under the pressure of increasing patient numbers.

Darent Valley Hospital is seeing far more people than usual and the local Clinical Commissioning Group are asking those who do not need urgent assistance to seek alternative treatment and use the NHS 111 if they are not sure what health service they need.

The free Health Help Now website and app enables people to check their symptoms and search for local services. As well as recommending options for treatment, it will provide opening hours of pharmacies and walk-in centres and directions.

Visit the Health Help Now website or the app store. Further advice is also available at the NHS's Stay Well This Winter site.

NHS 111 can also give free health advice, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, while patients are reminded they can seek advice at walk-in and minor injury units which are open most days except Christmas day. ?

There is a minor injuries unit at Gravesham Community Hospital, Bath Street, while White Horse surgery, in Vale Road, Northfleet, includes a walk-in centre. Both are open from 8am to 8pm.

A spokesman for Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley CCG said: “With very cold weather on the horizon and higher than usual levels of demand, the system is under pressure and priority is being given to those patients who arrive at the hospital with urgent life-threatening injuries and illnesses.

“We are urging residents to consider their options before visiting the emergency department, which is currently experiencing extremely high levels of attendance.

“Patients attending with a minor illness are likely to experience an extremely long wait, with priority being given to those people who need it most.