More than two-thirds of Brits resort to Dr Google for medical advice 'due to long GP delays' - potentially putting millions at risk of worsening their health. A staggering 69% of UK patients who are waiting to see a specialist or receive treatment have turned to the internet for answers.
Half of those quizzed are Googling their symptoms or condition to get some 'reassurance' (49%), to self-medicate while they await treatment or diagnosis (40%) or because they felt 'powerless' (22%). One in ten even admitted they'd done this because they didn't think they'd received the right diagnosis from their GP (10%).
According to NHS data, there are 7.3million people waiting for NHS treatment in England - up by nearly 3million since the start of the pandemic. The latest NHS satisfaction report shows that many patients are unhappy with the GP service they are receiving, with long waiting times for appointments cited as the main cause of frustration.
This was also reflected in a survey conducted by medical negligence experts at law firm Been Let Down. The survey of 2,000 adults who have seen a GP in the last six months revealed that more than one in six (16%) said they were left feeling dissatisfied by the outcome of their appointment.
Nearly half of those unhappy said they didn't feel their symptoms were taken seriously (48%) or their GP hadn't taken the time to understand their health concerns (45%). NHS England data shows that more than a third of appointments (35%) currently last for 10 minutes or less and 16% last five minutes or less.
One in five (21%) frustrated patients also felt the mode of their appointment, for example via telephone, wasn't appropriate. Around seven in ten appointments (70%) are now face to face and this has been increasing since November.
However millions of appointments a month are still happening online or via the phone. Overall NHS figures show the demand for appointments with GPs continuing to rise, putting additional pressure on already-stretched services.
There were nearly two million more appointments this March (31.4 million) than last March (29.6 million). Perhaps because of this higher demand slightly fewer people are being seen on the same day too - around 43% are being seen on the same day this year, versus 45% last year and 46% 2021.
Worryingly, around 3% of people are waiting more than 28 days/four weeks to be seen by their GP and in some areas, this is significantly higher. Solicitor and Deputy Head of Clinical Negligence (Liverpool) at Been Let Down, Helen Neville, said: "The latest survey on NHS satisfaction showed that overall satisfaction has fallen to its lowest level since the study began in 1983, with more than half (51%) of respondents reporting their dissatisfaction with the NHS.
"Recently the prime minister unveiled plans to 'transform' primary care by giving pharmacists in England the power to write prescriptions for some common conditions. While NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the reforms would 'help to free up millions of appointments for those who need them most' we are concerned that this shortcut could mean that some people don’t receive the care they need and are potentially misdiagnosed.
"The primary care system is in desperate need of funding and support - opening up pharmacists to an increase in patients and enquiries when some places in the country do not have access to pharmacies is not a well thought through plan."
An NHS spokesman said: "GPs and their teams are delivering millions more appointments than before the pandemic, including more on the same or next day, and the latest survey of over half a million patients shows that the vast majority have a good experience, with more than four in five people saying they had sufficient time, were listened to, and had confidence in how they were treated.
"More than 29,000 additional staff have been recruited to GP teams to bolster patient care since 2019 and our new GP access recovery plan sets out how even more patients will receive quicker and convenient access to NHS care – so as ever, please come forward if you have a health concern."
A Department of Health and Social spokesman said: "There are more doctors, nurses and staff than ever before working in the NHS, with over 500 more doctors working in general practice when compared to the same time last year.
"There were also two million more GP appointments in March 2023 compared to March 2022, that's 83,500 more per working day, which is 10% higher than pre-pandemic.
"And we recently announced £240million of support to GP practices across the UK this year to embrace the latest technology and make it easier for patients to see their GP."
For more information, visit https://www.beenletdown.co.uk/insights/patients-turn-to-google-for-medical-advice-due-to-long-delays-and-fears-of-misdiagnosis/
