Hospital trusts in Greater Manchester have warned patients to expect waits of seven hours in A&E today.
It comes as ambulances were pictured lining up outside Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport, with patients urged to attend hospitals only if they are facing an emergency.
Some patients claimed they were given a six-hour waiting time for an MRI, while over 150 people were reportedly waiting to be triaged at Manchester Royal Infirmary this afternoon, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust warned of 'extremely busy' A&E departments, with an average of 330 patients a day coming through their doors over the last week.
The trust said in a statement shared on Twitter today: "We're currently extremely busy in our Emergency Department (A&E), so please save A&E for emergencies only.
"If it's not a life-threatening emergency go online at http://111.nhs.uk or call 111 for advice on the right service for your needs."
Today, the NHS launched its annual nationwide drive to recruit more nurses as it tries to fill tens of thousands of vacancies across England.
It comes after more than 40,000 nurses left the NHS in the past year - one in nine of the workforce - according to data examined by the Nuffield Trust.
England's chief nurse Ruth May described the role as a "life-changing profession" where people can make a difference to someone's life, but the drive comes as NHS staff are preparing for a challenging winter with the combined impact of flu, Covid and record vacancies.
The campaign - called We Are The NHS - spotlights the varied NHS nursing roles on offer and features patients who tell of how nurses helped them towards recovery.
NHS England points out that more than six in 10 people are considering a career change over the next year, and nursing degrees offer strong employment prospects.
It states that 94% of nursing graduates are able to find jobs within six months - and there are more than 46,828 nursing, midwifery, and health visiting vacancies in the NHS in England.
Helping with people from different walks of life and settings could be offered by the available nursing roles.
It could see nurses working in different areas including with those who have learning disabilities, in mental health, paediatrics or social care.
They could work across the community and not just in hospitals or GP practices, but also patient homes, schools or possibly prisons.
Ms May said: "From life-saving tests and checks and delivering millions of Covid and flu vaccinations, to getting people back on their feet as the NHS cuts 18-month waits and cares for the thousands of seriously ill patients in hospitals and across our communities, nurses play a vital role.
"As we approach the winter months and NHS services gear up to manage higher demand, it's clear the difference that nurses make to the health service every day, and I urge anyone considering a career where they want to really make a difference to find out more.
"I am so proud to be a nurse in the NHS and so proud of every single colleague who has risen to the challenges facing the health service in recent years to continue to deliver the very best care to patients and their families."
