Poll finds Brits turn to “DIY Doctor” after failing to secure face-to-face GP appointment

EMBARGO: 22.30 Sunday 31 December

• Shocking new poll reveals Brits unable to see a GP are turning to carrying out medical treatment on themselves or self-prescribing medication

• Almost a quarter of Brits tried and failed to see their GP face-to-face last year

• One in six went to A&E last year after failing to secure GP face-to-face appointment

• Lib Dems call for new wave of NHS doctors to be recruited and for patients to be given a legal right to see a GP within seven days

A new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed the impacts of GP appointment shortages across the country, with millions turning to self-treatment, self-prescriptions or turning to A&E in a desperate attempt to receive medical treatment. 

Of those who tried and failed to secure a face-to-face GP appointment in the past twelve months:

• One in three (33%) delayed seeing a GP despite suffering with pain

• One in seven (14%) carried out medical treatment on themselves or asked somebody who is not a medical professional to do so

• One in five (21%) purchased medication online or at a pharmacy without advice from a GP

• One in seven (16%) went to A&E

• Three in ten (29%) stopped attempting to get an NHS GP appointment altogether

Those most likely to turn to “DIY Doctor” by treating themselves were younger people, over one in five (22%) of those aged 18-34 did so last year. 

Almost a quarter (23%) of people have tried and failed to get a face-to-face GP appointment in their local area over the past twelve months. 17% tried and failed in Scotland, and 13% in Wales.

The Liberal Democrats are calling for a new legal right for patients to see a GP within seven days, and have set out plans to recruit and retain 8,000 more GPs to deliver on it. The party’s plan would be achieved through increasing training places for GPs,, and launching a recruitment drive to encourage those who’ve left the NHS to return.

It comes as the latest figures reveal the GP waits crisis is worsening as millions of patients are left waiting two weeks or more for an appointment. Official NHS data reveals that in October 2023, a staggering 7.4 million GP appointments took place two weeks or more after being booked, up 1.1 million compared to the same month last year. Two week waits made up almost one in four (23%) of all GP appointments in October, up from 19% in the same month last year/

Shockingly, 2.6 million appointments took place more than four weeks after booking in October 2023, 700,000 more than in October last year. This made up one in 13 (7.6%) of the total GP appointments in October, compared to around one in 17 (6%) in the same month last year. 70.9% of all appointments in October 2023 were carried out face to face, down slightly from 71.3 in October last year.

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: 

“This is scandalous and must act as an urgent wake up call for ministers asleep on the job. People pay their fair share in tax and expect basic local health services, yet it is utterly depressing to see Brits turning to DIY medical treatment. The record of this Conservative government on the NHS is shameful. 

“Face-to-face GP appointments have become almost extinct in some areas of the country. 

“Patients are left suffering in pain after years of neglect under the Conservative Government, who have repeatedly broken their promise to recruit more GPs.

“Liberal Democrats would guarantee people a right to a GP appointment within one week so people can get the care they deserve. This would reduce pressure on our hospitals and paramedics, saving crucial time and money elsewhere in the NHS.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

Latest figures on GP appointment waiting times available here. 

Full polling data results here

Methodology: Savanta interviewed 2,226 UK adults aged 18+ online between 1 st and 4 th

December 2023. Data were weighted to be representative of the UK by age, sex, region and social grade.

Q1. In the last 12 months, have you tried getting a face-to-face NHS GP appointment in your local area? Base: All respondents (n=2,226); December 2022 (n=2,061)

Q2. Which of the following, if any, have you done as a result of not being able to get a face-to-face NHS GP appointment in your local area? Base: All respondents who have tried to get a face-to-face NHS GP appointment in their local area in the last 12 months but couldn’t get one (n= 495); December 2022 (n= 612)