Doctors have said the millennium will be the busiest time the NHS has ever faced, but claim they are geared up to cope.

They appealed to people with minor problems not to call ambulances because the service will be stretched to breaking point over the long holiday when millions of people will be celebrating.

Dr Rachel Landau, an accident and emergency consultant in charge of millennium planning for hospitals, warned: "We're going to face the busiest period that we'll ever face.

"We ask that people think carefully before dialling 999 and that they find alternative ways of coming to hospital for minor ailments."

Hospitals across the country are expecting to deal with increased injuries from Christmas and millennium celebrations, on top of the usual round of winter illnesses such as pneumonia and hypothermia.

Dr Landau said hospitals, particularly in London, were planning for the worst case scenario of revellers drowning or being crushed as they see in the new millennium by the Thames river or in Trafalgar Square.

Extra supplies

All hospitals will have additional medical staff on duty and extra supplies of drugs and equipment have been brought in.

Dr Ian Bogle, chairman of the British Medical Association, said months of planning between health professionals and the government had gone into ensuring that doctors and hospitals were ready to meet the exceptional demands.

"Patients can help, too, by using the service sensibly and leaving doctors to care for accidents that are bound to occur," Dr Bogle said.

Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the BMA's GP committee, said that a large number of doctors' surgeries would be open over the holiday.

"The planning's been done, the arrangements are in place. I'm pretty certain the National Health Service will cope," he said.