A working GP has warned Brits they should always go to see their doctor if they have five key symptoms. Dr Amir Khan,who has appeared on ITV shows including Lorraine and This Morning, issued the alert today - and it also includes if people have a symptom many will be suffering from as waves of flu hit the UK.

But Dr Khan said it’s not just about cold symptoms - it’s about if you have had a specific type of cough for a certain period of time. Health officials have issued a renewed appeal for anyone eligible for a flu jab to get vaccinated as soon as possible, warning that cases are likely to rise further as the festive period approaches.

The rate of hospitaladmissions for flu in England stood at 3.9per 100,000 people earlier this month week, broadly unchanged from 4.0 the previous week, according to data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Dr Khan said that the key wasn’t going to the doctor for coughs and colds - but in one case a certain type of cough.

• 'Fantastic' drama 'glues viewers to their seats' on Film 4 tonight


• New theory emerges after teen dies from eating sausages on camping trip

He told his followers on instagram: “Here are 5 reasons I would definitely want to see you as a GP. Number 1, if you’ve had an unexplained cough for 3 weeks or more, especially if you’re a smoker, it may be nothing to worry about, but this is one of the commonest ways lung cancer can present and you may need a chest X-ray or scan.”

He highlighted a type of stomach issue if you’re over a certain age: “Number 2, if you’re 55 years old or over and have new unexplained symptoms of acid reflux, again, there are lots of other explanations for this, but we need to make sure we’re not missing a stomach or food pipe cancer.”

Dr Khan said for women there was a symptom to watch out for: “Number 3, if you’ve been through the menopause and not had a period for a year or more, but then have a vaginal bleed. It doesn’t matter how small it is, we need to get it investigated.”

When going to the loo, people need to be wary for a sign of something serious: “Number 4, if you’ve noticed any unexplained blood in your urine, particularly if it was not painful in any way when you passed it. It doesn’t matter if it only happened once and it’s all clear now, we need to get it looked into.”

• Persistent cough for three weeks


• New unexplained acid reflux over 55


• Been through menopause and suffer bleed


• Blood in urine


• New moles on skin

Finally, Dr Khan added people should check for any changes on their body: “And number 5, if you have a mole on your skin that is new or has changed, it’s getting bigger, feels itchier, bleeding, or simply looks or feels different, get that looked at too. Now chances are these things are nothing to worry about, but let us be the judges of that. There are other things as well, and I’ll come to them later.”

However people have today been warned not to go to Accident and Emergency departments this winter as they are under serious pressure. New figures released today revealed accident and emergency units in England treated more than 200,000 people last year who could have been dealt with elsewhere, health officials have said.

Last winter patients sought help for a variety of illness which officials say could have been handled by GPs or pharmacists, including blocked noses, sore throats and earache, NHS England said. Emergency departments in England dealt with 8,669 cases of itchy skin, 384 people with hiccups, and 96,998 patients who sought help for a sore throat.

A&E staff also dealt with more than 6,000 cases of blocked noses, almost 84,000 earaches, and 3,890 cases of ingrowing toenails between November 2024 and March 2025. The health body said A&Es are “under siege from hiccups and ingrowing toenails”.

It comes as health leaders launched a campaign highlighting the range of places patients can access care, warning A&Es are “busier than ever”. Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Good Morning Britain on Tuesday that “A&Es should be accident and emergency, not anything and everything”.