Demand for private GP services surges by 226% from 2019
The future of general practice report (11th October 2022)
A recent Health and Social Care Committee report laid bare the challenges NHS GPs and patients face.
From the report:
“GPs are leaving almost as fast as they can be recruited, and patients are increasingly dissatisfied with the level of access they receive.””The root cause of this is straightforward: there are not enough GPs to meet the ever-increasing demands on the service.””In May this year, there were an estimated 27.5 million appointments in general practice, more than two million more than in 2019. Yet over the same period, the number of qualified, full-time equivalent GPs working in the NHS has declined by nearly 500.””Alongside worsening access to care, the decline of continuity of care in general practice is one of the most concerning impacts of the pressure on general practice.”
Source: The future of general practice – 11th October 2022
Patient internet search activity 2019 vs 2022
On 21st October 2022, we analysed Google search volumes for queries relating to private GP services to show how demand has changed since just before the pandemic. The results show a vast increase in patients looking for alternatives to their NHS GP/
Search volumes for private GP services in September 2022 were a staggering 226% higher than at the same time in 2019 (49,320 per month, up from 19,680). However, looking at the individual home nations, the increase in some has been even higher.
Increase in private GP searches Sept 2019-2022 by nation:
England – 151%Scotland – 203%Wales – 166%Northern Ireland – 382%
Demand for private GP services in England
Further to our overall research, and given that search volumes for private GP services are significantly higher in England than elsewhere, we looked at how search activity has changed in each English county.
Increase in demand by region
English counties with the sharpest rise in internet search activity relating to private GPs:
The 10 counties with the biggest increase in demand:
Nottinghamshire – 308%Lincolnshire – 265%Devon – 210%East Sussex – 210%Cornwall – 200%Merseyside – 196%Yorkshire – 192%Wiltshire – 190%Worcestershire – 185%Bedfordshire – 180%
Private GP services and health insurance
Most leading health insurers now have access to round-the-clock “virtual GP” services. Typically appointments are held online or on the phone, with face-to-face private consultations only being available on higher-end policies. The benefit of a virtual GP is that you can speak to them at any time, which to many, who are used to waiting for an appointment, will come as a welcome benefit. Click here if you’d like to know more abouthealth insurance and virtual GPs.
About myTribe Insurance
myTribe is a consumer information website specialising in private healthcare and insurance. The site gives anyone looking at private healthcare in the UK the information they need through independent research, guides, and expert reviews.
Press contact: chris@mytribeinsurance.co.uk
