A CHILD who had stepped in dog faeces and a woman complaining that her false nails were hurting her - just two of the reasons people in the North West have visited hospital emergency departments and rang 999 for.

Doctors at the region’s hospitals are now pleading with the public to think before calling the emergency services this winter and only contact them in a genuine emergency.

Staff at hospitals across the North West are backing the regional Choose Well campaign to encourage people to use services correctly.

The move comes after doctors revealed some of the reasons people contacted emergency departments, which also included a woman requesting that someone cut her toe nails as she could not get a chiropody appointment and a man who attended via ambulance, after his wife had locked him out of their home as he was intoxicated.

MBHT also revealed that in 2009/10 there were over 177,000 more people visiting ED’s than in the previous year.

Coupled with Government spending cuts in budgets, doctors are conscious that services be used efficiently.

Dr Mike Cheshire, Medical Director, NHS North West, said: “We need to get back to the message that ED and 999 services are for life-threatening and emergency conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, lung disease, breathing problems and serious accidents.

“Our hospital ED teams deal with some of the highest numbers of people who have life-threatening conditions in the country.

"It is hard to believe that there are some people who think they can call 999 or go to an ED just because they have a splinter or have paint in their hair.”

Hospitals and ambulance services across the North West are facing increasing demands on their services.

The cost of providing ED services went up by nine per cent last year to £317 million and attendances at ED for minor ailments and illnesses cost the NHS in the North West £79.25 million a year - and the majority could have been "self-treated" with over-the-counter medicines.