When not to visit your doctor, according to the experts

Sufferers of coughs and colds are being urged to visit their high street pharmacy instead of using their GP or attending their local A&E unit, as part of plan to help the NHS manage unsustainable pressures this winter.

NHS England managing director Sir Bruce Keogh made the call for more patients to make use of their local pharmacy for coughs and colds, saying: "In other parts of Europe pharmacies are very well used. Our GPs, frankly, during the winter feel really under strain with people coming in with coughs and colds. And a lot of that strain could be relieved if people use pharmacies more."

It came as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that hospitals and A&E units across England will receive £300m to help see them through “unprecedented extra demand” this winter.

More: 13 ways to avoid a crisis in the NHS this winter