Research by Simplyhealth found that nearly 50 per cent of people believe the way they seek health-related information and advice has changed over the past decade.

Britons are increasingly relying on the internet to provide health information, rather than treating their doctor as the first port of call, a survey suggests.

Thirty-one per cent of people now use the internet to see if their symptoms warrant a trip to their GP; and 79 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds say they would share information about their health over the internet.

Raman Sankaran, a spokesman for healthcare provider Simplyhealth, said that online healthcare resources ‘fit in to our modern, busy lifestyles’.

The survey, which was carried out by YouGov among 5,097 adults, also revealed that 58 per cent of people would rather rely on the internet than visit a health professional for advice.

In a world where time is a precious commodity, our survey demonstrates a growing trend to use the internet to not only seek health information and advice but to engage in online conversations about health,’ the expert observed.

New figures for England show that the number of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for NHS treatment has risen slightly over the last 12 months.

Simplyhealth’s research also found that 56 per cent of people who would be willing to share information about their symptoms online would consider taking part in an instant web chat with a doctor.

Britons’ apparent desire to avoid making trips to the GP surgery could be a reflection of concerns about increasing NHS waiting times.