Giant yellow figures invaded Whitechapel Market last week as part of an NHS campaign to improve patients’ understanding of when to use A&E.

East London Advertiser: Huge yellow figures depicting different types of injuries are displayed at Whitechapel Market to promote better use of A&E by the public.Huge yellow figures depicting different types of injuries are displayed at Whitechapel Market to promote better use of A&E by the public. (Image: Archant)

The seven foot tall models were on hand on Friday afternoon with information about different illnesses and where treatment is available for them.

The figures have been touring east London in a bid to raise awareness of the help available in places other than A&E wards after research showed up to 40 per cent of people who use them do not have to.

Unnecessary trips to A&E are estimated to cost the NHS more than £100million each year.

Paramedics attended more than 27,000 calls in Tower Hamlets between April 2012 and January 2013 – but almost 4,000 of those calls did not require patients to be treated in hospital.