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A fifth of Londoners use web to self-diagnose instead of going to doctor
Sophie Goodchild, Health and Social Affairs Correspondent28 Jan 2010
Record numbers of Londoners are turning to the internet to diagnose themselves because of difficulty getting an appointment with their GP.
Figures released today reveal nearly one in five use Google or other search engines to self-diagnose while nearly a third prefer to listen to advice from a friend or colleague instead of going to the doctor.
Experts say the findings from a poll by health insurer National Friendly highlight a worrying trend.
Katherine Murphy, of The Patients Association, said: “The web can be useful especially on challenging health professionals over access to drugs. But it can't be a replacement for a consultation.”
The British Medical Association has warned web diagnosis is “very dangerous”. Dr Sam Everington, who is based in Tower Hamlets, said it was “worrying” if patients were only using the web.
Reader views (2)
Dec - you ARE doing something about it! You're using the web to make yourself well-informed about your own condition and treatment. I do the same.
My experience of the doctors is not the same as yours. In my limited ability to judge the ones at my practice, they seem competent. It's the administrative systems that are a scandal. You can't get an appointment except by phoning at 0830 and if you can't get through before 0845, they are all taken. You gave to take a paper chit in to the surgery to get a one-month repeat prescription (queue), collect it two days later (queue), then queue at a pharmacy. That's three queues every month. It used to be every two months, but apparently the ministry changed the rules. They think restricting it to monthly prescriptions saves money. And so on. Why can't the NHS arrange my routine medication through a GP near my workplace, and treatment of acute illness from a different GP near my home? At present my employer loses two or more half-days of my work each year to the NHS (plus the several hours spent queueing). All completely un-necessary.
- Nigel, London, 28/01/2010 12:12
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I have been forced to look at the web as the doctors treating me are like little children who blame each other. Appointments are cancelled, doctors do not turn up, prescriptions are giving by one only to be overturned/will not prescribe by others, nurses think they know better then doctors, as well as chemists, the whole NHS way of doing things are at best laughable and at worse killing, I have very little faith in these people, but have not been able to do anything about it. I am just one in the millions who feel this.
- Dec, london, 28/01/2010 10:55
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