GPs in Sittingbourne and on Sheppey have been asked to provide extra appointments in the evenings and weekends over the festive break.

They will be open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and are planning additional shifts over the New Year in a bid to relieve the pressure on Medway’s stretched Accident and Emergency department and out-of-hours services.

The extra sessions have been paid for by NHS Swale Clinical Commissioning Group which plans and pays for the area’s health services using cash freed up in the last Budget.

GP Dr Fiona Armstrong, who chairs the CCG, said: “The additional GP appointments are a big step for patients and a huge commitment from GPs in Swale.

“We have worked very quickly to put this in place. We are indebted to those GPs and practices who will open their doors over Christmas and New Year.”

Anyone needing medical advice should call NHS 111. Operators will tell patients which GP surgery is open.

The CCG also announced it has asked Virgin Care to open more hospital beds to cope with the “unprecedented” demand.

It is believed the closed ward at Sheppey Community Hospital in Plover Road, Minster, could also be brought out of mothballs.

Dr Armstrong added: “Many people are still using A&E inappropriately.

"We urge everyone to consider self-care where appropriate and ensure they are stocked up on over-the-counter remedies such as painkillers and medicines for coughs, colds and flu, and vomiting and diarrhoea.”

The additional GP hours start on Friday and will run until Monday January 8. The CCG says it wants to increase the number of GP appointments into the New Year.

A spokesman for NHS Swale Clinical Commissioning Group said: "The additional GP capacity has been made possible through our GP member practices opting in to work on top of their usual opening times over Christmas.

"This has been coordinated by our commissioners, with backing from NHS England as part of annual winter resilience and preparedness plans.

"This helps our local health systems to continue to provide the best care possible for patients, who should call NHS 111 to access these services if they need them over Christmas and New Year.

"As in previous years, we have invested resources to support the wider urgent care system during winter in a number of ways, and in particular during the two weeks spanning Christmas and New Year.

"We have been working closely with all our NHS partner organisations to ensure there is flexibility across the county, and that we can collectively respond to increases in demand for our services as and when they occur.

"During this time, demand can change on an hourly basis, so at this stage we are unable to provide further details about exact bed capacity and costs."

Trained nurses at minor injury units at Sheppey and Sittingbourne hospitals can treat cuts, sprains, minor burns, minor dislocations, minor eye injuries and remove foreign bodies from ears and noses.

They are open every day of the year from 9am to 9pm.

Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, Bell Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 4DT. 01795 418300.

Sheppey Community Hospital, Plover Road, Minster, ME12 3LT. 01795 879100. Not open Christmas Day.

The GP-led walk-in centre at Sheppey Community Hospital is open every day from 8am to 8pm. No appointment is necessary. 01795 879199.