Despite the obvious risks, patients have admitted they would rather seek medical advice from other sources than wait for a GP appointment.
New research from The British Health Report, commissioned by Your Legal Friend, found 24% said they have used the internet to self-diagnose their medical conditions whilst 21% turned to medical self-help books to cure their illnesses.
Doctors have warned of the risks of self-diagnosis, as over half (55%) stated they had seen their patients delaying visiting them and that this had had a directly negative impact on their health.
Nearly half of doctors (44%) have seen patients delay appointments because they had chosen to diagnose themselves via the internet and medical self-help books.
However, 61% of patients report having to wait for more than two days to obtain a doctor's appointment.
Gaining access to doctors is a major concern for patients which is hardly surprising as one in five have waited a week or more for an appointment.
Dr Chris Steele MBE, commented: "A practising professional is always the best person to consult. However the NHS needs to be more accessible to everyone and the delays in booking doctor's appointments will merely encourage the rise and rise of self-diagnosis, which in turn will risk the health of thousands across the country."
