Research commissioned for Self Care Week (November 16-22) found that the nation’s top health concerns are:

• Staying healthy as you get older (65 per cent)
• Keeping fit and active (59 per cent)
• Eating a healthy diet (56 per cent).

As well as wanting to prevent ill health, people also worried about funding for the NHS (29 per cent) and delays in getting a doctor’s appointment (22 per cent).

However, despite this desire to remain in good health, people might not be making the best use of services to access health advice, says PAGB, which commissioned the research.

While 82 per cent of people turn to Google for health information, 89 per cent rely on their GP. Pharmacy, on the other hand, is comparatively underutilised, with just 63 per cent trusting their pharmacist with their health concerns.

“I am encouraged that people want to stay fit and eat well, but it is vital that we provide information to help them make healthy lifestyle choices and ensure they know where to go for advice and support,” says Dr Pete Smith, a GP and co-chair of the Self Care Forum, which organised the awareness week.

Self Care Week aimed to help people make healthy lifestyle choices, take care of common self-treatable illnesses such as coughs and colds, and effectively manage more serious long-term health conditions if they develop.