Monday 28 November 2022 05:11 PM What to do if you can't get an appointment with your GP trends now
The NHS may be incredibly close to our hearts - yet it is also rarely out of the news.
Recently, GPs have been slammed for voting to close their doors at 5pm, making it more difficult for patients to get appointments.
GP surgeries who are the worst at carrying out face-to-face appointments have also been named and shamed, and while no one should be forced to seek alternatives, there are a growing number of affordable options available.
Although nothing can replace the NHS for ambulance care or A&E provision, companies are offering alternative help for physiotherapy, mental health support or advice on specific problems for men or women. Femail brings you a round-up.
If you're struggling to get an appointment with your GP, there are a number of options but you will have to pay for a subscriptoin or one-off appointment fee
ZAVA
Cost: Prices vary. The morning after pill can be obtained from £11.95, while prices for prescription hair loss treatment start from £19.95
This online doctor and pharmacy is aiming to cut the need to see a GP by providing a streamlined service for certain ailments and medicines.
Ideal if you wish to obtain the morning after pill, contraceptives or pills for erectile dysfunction, you simply fill in a medical questionnaire and answer a few questions about your health and what you want.
A doctor will then review the information and confirm your request.
Your medicine or test kit is then dispatched by Zava's pharmacy and delivered discretely to your home by Royal Mail.
BABYLON HEALTH
Cost: £149 a year for instant access to GPs. Phsyio appointments are £25
There are modern alternatives to the NHS on the market, some free, some affordable and some expensive
This online service is aiming to flip from a model of reactive sick care to preventative healthcare by making it easier to access doctors.
You simply pay a small relatively small fee and then have access to online healthcare services and professionals.
You choose a date and time to speak to one via phone or video call - and the waiting time to see one is typically less than it is at a GP surgery.
You can also access physiotherapists, nurses and pharmacists.
At present, you can only access this service if your employer pays for it, or for free if you live in Fulham, London.
THE HEALTHILY APP
Cost: Free
There are modern alternatives to the NHS on the market, some free, some affordable and some expensive
Founded in 2013, the Healthily app is a free 'self-care' app that uses artificial intelligence to help users check their symptoms before deciding to see a doctor.
Described as the world's first medically-approved self-care platform, it brings medical knowledge out of the doctors surgery and into everyday life.
For instance, if you have a symptom, such as a headache behind the eyes, you can input this alongside basic demographic information about your sex and age.
It asks you about a range of other symptoms.
After selecting the appropriate responses, and asking other questions, such as if you are obese or had a recent injury, it then gives you a report.
This might suggest that no further action is needed, or it might say that you need immediate help and that you should go to A&E.
While it doesn't specifically diagnose you, it suggests - on the results of your answers - possible causes for your ailments and gives an
