Survey finds millenials favour private GP appointments

Credit: This story was first seen on the Daily Mail

Millennials are shunning the NHS in favour of private GP appointments, the Daily Mail reports.

Young people would prefer to pay for a same-day service than wait weeks for an NHS consultation.

A network of private clinics reported that 75% of their patients are between 20 and 39 years old.

Aside from convenience, longer appointment times are also thought to be a draw towards going private.

Around 40% of millennials say they feel rushed during their regular NHS appointments.

A survey by the GP clinic network DocTap, revealed private consultations last on average 15 minutes, which many young people prefer to the eight to 10 minutes that are typically allotted during NHS appointments.

Millennials are also willing to pay if it means they are more likely to see the same GP on every visit.

The findings also showed that private GP patients are made up of equal amounts of male and female users.

The average male visits an NHS GP just four times a year, compared to women who make visit the around six times every 12 months.

Dan Faber, founder, DocTap, said: “Patients are out of patience and they are no longer prepared to wait for or travel to an NHS appointment. They want to see a doctor on their terms and they want to choose the doctor that they want to see. It is clear that the existing NHS GP model is outdated and is unable to service the new millennial generation who want convenience.”

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1 Comment

  1. There are more than likely other factors surrounding this draw to private healthcare, such as feeling shunned by an NHS GP, misdiagnosis, not feeling as though they’re being listened to (being heard is integral and essential to any meaningful Doctor/Patient relationship). Also, some GP’s do seem to display a rather poor attitude towards their patients, leaving them feeling as though that the GP may be insinuating that the patient is feigning illness- so in retaliation a patient will leave their care and seek better treatment elsewhere, i.e., privately.

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