One in six at risk over online self-diagnosis

Nearly one in six people in England have put themselves at risk by using the internet to self-diagnose an illness instead of consulting their GP, it has emerged.

Around a third of people who have self-diagnosed online did so because they felt they did not have the time to see a doctor, according to a Department of Health (DoH) poll.

However, with the opening of new GP health centres this year and longer opening hours across surgeries, it is now easier than ever to see a GP and not risk worsening your health, the DoH has advised.

Dr Mike Warburton, national director for GP Access at the body, said: “While it may feel like a quick-fix solution, using the internet to guess your medical problems does not compare to seeing a medical professional with years of training and experience.?

The poll also showed that four in ten people did not think their illness was important enough to see their GP and one in ten were too embarrassed to do so.

Self-diagnosis is most common among 18-24 year olds, with a quarter turning to the internet to solve their medical problems.