Millennials are shunning the NHS in favour of private GP appointments. 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 'It is clear that the existing NHS GP model is outdated and is unable to service the new millennial generation who want convenience.'
Source: dailymail.co.uk
