More people are also going to A&E with complaints such as hiccups, nasal congestion, backache and nausea, according to data analysed by the PA news agency.

Cases where sore throat was the chief complaint rose 77% between 2021/22 and 2022/23 (from 191,900 to 340,441 cases).

Patients going to A&E with coughs rose 47% (from 219,338 to 322,500) while attendance for nosebleeds rose by a fifth (from 47,285 to 56,546).

Complaints for backache rose by 2% (from 317,149 to 324,443) while earaches rose 22% (from 191,387 to 233,723).

People also went to A&E requesting medication, with cases rising by a fifth (from 31,960 to 38,435).

Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said: "The rise in A&E admissions is piling even more pressure on to an already-stretched NHS.

"Persistent strain on primary care services, including GPs and dentists, means patients often resort to A&E when they cannot access timely care elsewhere.

"Minor ailments such as coughs, earache, fever, nausea and hiccups can and should be managed through more appropriate services, such as pharmacies and NHS 111 online.

"This could ease pressure on emergency departments, whose priority is to deliver urgent care for those most in need.

"Boosting capacity of staff, beds and equipment in these settings would also significantly help. However, this requires proper funding and support from the government."

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Millions of attendances result in discharges with written advice

There were 44% more complaints in A&E for fever compared to the previous year (rising from 566,531 to 813,609), while hiccups cases rose 3% (from 794 to 819) and insomnia cases rose 6% (from 1,265 to 1,343).

Diarrhoea cases jumped 12% (from 106,072 to 119,019), nasal congestion cases rose 30% (from 12,380 to 16,115) and nausea cases rose 14% (from 14,177 to 16,161).

Some 8.6 million attendances resulted in the patient being discharged with written advice.

'Symptomatic of a much wider issue'

Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: "While there has certainly been an increase in issues which may not have traditionally been thought of as requiring emergency care, it is not the main problem, and is symptomatic of a much wider issue.

"Our communities need good access to healthcare. This requires an adequately resourced and staffed system with sufficient capacity at every level.

"Community-based services are massively stretched, A&Es remain dangerously overcrowded, and in-patient care does not currently have anywhere near the bed capacity needed.

"Many of my patients have tried not to come to A&E and have tried other all other routes before attending.

"People do not, and should not be expected, to know the severity of their condition without clinical expertise or examination. And those who feel they require urgent and emergency care should attend A&E."