The hospital took to Facebook yesterday to ask those whose conditions were not emergencies to consider visiting a GP or pharmacist.

The department is again "extremely busy", a spokeswoman said. Staff will endeavor to see as many people as possible but long wait times are expected.

The weekends sometimes see an increase in people presenting to emergency departments after drinking too much alcohol, she said.

"We are encouraging people to be careful and drink sensibly."

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However, she said demand is triggered by a number of complex and dynamic causes, not solely alcohol consumption.

The hospital triages cases according to severity and urgency and the spokeswoman asked those waiting longer to be seen to have patience.

"Our emergency staff are trained in triage and to recognise signs that may not be apparent to members of the public in the waiting area," she said.

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