Mouth ulcers and a weaver fish sting are among the non-urgent ailments that Truro’s Royal Cornwall Hospital has been asked to treat in the past couple of weeks.

Now the NHS is reminding both local residents and visitors to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly that there are a number of alternatives to accident and emergency departments where people can be treated.

As the holiday season begins, staff in the Treliske hospital have also been asked to treat boils, a throat infection and even perform a blood test.

The summer months also typically see A&E staff being asked to treat sunburn, diarrhoea and vomiting, sprained ankles and simple fractures.

Health chiefs have warned that patients going to A&E with these problems, instead of to other NHS services available for non-urgent care, “inevitably” impact on the ability of the emergency team to respond to serious injuries and life-threatening conditions.

Instead they are encouraging people to consider alternatives for minor injuries and ailments.

These include pharmacies, GPs, minor injury units at local community hospitals, the West Cornwall Hospital Casualty service and the GP led ‘walk-in’ centre in Redruth, on the Cardrew Industrial Estate, which is open from 8am until 8pm every day of the year with no appointment necessary.

Urgent primary medical care is also available from Serco overnight and at weekends and bank holidays.

Dr Jon Tilbury, medical director for NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Going to A&E or dialling 999 really should be reserved for serious injury or a life-threatening illness.

“If you are a local resident or a visitor with an injury that is over 48 hours old, if you are unsure about a medical condition or know you need urgent support before your surgery re-opens, GP support is just a phone call away on 0845 2000 227. Use of A&E and 999 calls should be reserved for emergencies.”

Visitors can use their mobile phones to find the nearest chemist, by simply texting the word Pharmacy to 64746 to receive three free texts with the name, address and telephone number of their three nearest chemists.

Out-of-hours GPs can be seen in ‘surgeries’ at Bodmin, Camborne-Redruth, Falmouth, Fowey, Helston, Launceston, Liskeard, Newquay, St Austell, Stratton and West Cornwall hospitals. They can be accessed via the call centre on 0845 2000 227.

The following list details the opening times of local minor injuries units:

  • Bodmin Community Hospital (01208 251577) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Camborne and Redruth Community Hospital (01209 881650) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Falmouth Hospital (01326 434739) - 8am to 8pm every day.
  • Fowey Community Hospital (01726 832241) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Helston Community Hospital (01326 435815) - 8am to 8pm every day.
  • Launceston Community Hospital (01566 765653) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Liskeard Community Hospital (01579 335278) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Newquay Hospital (01637 893623) - 8am to 10pm every day and open 24-hours on Fridays and Saturdays during July and August.
  • St Austell Community Hospital (01726 291199) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • Saltash, St Barnabas Hospital (01752 857400) - 8am to 10pm every day.
  • St Mary's Community Hospital (01720 422392) – 24-hours every day.
  • Stratton Community Hospital (01288 287713) – 24-hours every day.
  • Stennack Surgery, St Ives (01736 793333) - 8am to 8pm, Mon-to-Friday and during summer holidays only on Saturdays and Sundays 8am to 8pm.