DOCTORS and nurses are being stretched to the limit because of time-wasters.

A report out today shows nearly half of all patients who visit Huddersfield Royal Infirmary's Accident and Emergency Department do not need to be there.

Examples of some of the things people have visited casualty for include a stubbed toe, a broken finger nail and a discoloured tongue from eating sweets.

A lack of knowledge about other NHS services and ignorance have been blamed for the problem.

Doctors at the busy casualty department, in Lindley, are now urging people not to go unless it really is an emergency.

Department matron Julie Deansaid time-wasters were risking other people's lives by going to casualty when they did not need to.

"Inappropriate visits to A&E are often made because people just don't realise the wide range of services on offer to them," she said. "Patients could talk to a local pharmacist or call NHS Direct rather than coming straight to A&E. Others feel it is `their right' to be seen by a healthcare professional at A&E whatever their condition."

Now healthcare chiefs have launched a campaign called "A&E does not mean Anything and Everything" to try to stop the time- wasters.

The director of nursing at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, Helen Thomson, said she hoped the campaign would help solve the problem.

"We need to reduce the number of people who attend A&E who could be more appropriately cared for elsewhere," she said.

"Together with our patients in the local Primary Care Trusts we want to educate people about the range of NHS choices, such as self-treatment by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet, the expert role of a pharmacist, and the services NHS Direct nurses can provide."

It is hoped the campaign will result in people getting the right care from the right place.

Mrs Dean said many of the minor illnesses people go to A&E to have checked out cannot be treated because the department is not equipped to deal with them.

"When someone has a minor illness like a cold or a sore throat they can take care of their own health and get the right and most appropriate treatment for their complaint from their pharmacist or medicine cabinet," she said. "A&E is for accidents and emergencies."