Searches for private medical care soar in UK to an all-time high amid mounting NHS pressure

• Searches for private GPs, dentists and healthcare have all increased threefold in the UK over the last ten years
• An estimated 238,100 searches are made for private doctors or private dentists per month on average in the UK, with dentists more in-demand
• Almost one in five global searches for private healthcare are now made from the UK

Analysis of Google search data reveals that searches for private dentists, GPs and healthcare have surged at least threefold in the United Kingdom over the last ten years to new highs.

The analysis, by affordable cosmetic dentistry provider Longevita, reveals that searches for ‘private gp near me’, ‘private healthcare near me’ and ‘private dentist near me’ exploded by 278%, 261% and 213% above the average volume this October. 

This is an increase of over three times the search interest when compared to national average levels over the last ten years.

Searches for ‘private dentist near me’ have increased by over three times the average volume in the UK since October 2019 alone. This term is one of the most searched in the UK – with 23,000 monthly average searches, ranking 14th highest search volume out of over 10,000 search terms related to private medical care. Seven out of ten of the top ten national searches are for health insurance.

The data also reveals that some searches for private medical care are almost exclusively made in the UK. 

At least over nine in ten global searches for ‘private gp’, ‘private gp near me’, ‘private dentist near me’, ‘private healthcare near me’ each are made from within the UK – an estimated 41,800 out of 44,300 global average monthly searches.

Over two thirds of global searches for private doctors are made from within the UK, an estimated 108,170 average monthly searches nationally.

An estimated 238,100 searches are made for private doctors or dentists per month on average in the UK, with dentists more in-demand as over half of searches skewed to private dentists (55%) compared to private doctors (45%).

Google search data reveals that there are currently an estimated 2.5m searches relating to private medical care and insurance in the UK per month, which accounts for almost one in five of all global searches. 

A spokesperson at Longevita, commented on the findings:

“Amid fears of a winter NHS squeeze, characterised by difficulty getting a doctor’s appointment and long ambulance wait times, we are seeing an increase in people searching for private medical care online. For those that can afford private medical care, it can be a lifeline to those in need of a quick appointment. Our findings also show that almost a quarter of a million searches are made each month for private doctors and dentists just in the United Kingdom alone. And while demand is swelling on both sides, private dentists are most in need.”