Why patients are turning away from traditional healthcare options

Healthcare is a universal right, but even here in the UK, many face real barriers trying to get the help they need. Imagine visiting five different pharmacies to try to access your life-altering medication only to find out it's out of stock everywhere in your area, or pleading with your GP for substantial help only to be hastily prescribed tablets that induce nasty side effects. Sadly, this is a very real scenario for many in the UK. 

A few months ago we reported on news that said 57% of general medicines in the UK are in short supply, and even though between 2023 and 2024, 1.4 billion prescription items were dispensed in England, Scotland, and Wales - just a few weeks ago a House of Commons Research Briefing stated these shortages now affect 300 essential medicines worldwide. 

And while medication shortages are a very real and prominent problem here in the UK, there are also countless reports that suggest frequent overprescribing is a major issue within the NHS, and, the sentiment that pharmaceutical options are practically ‘thrown’ at patients when they visit their GP is growing. 

So, while some feel as though they’re thrown a ‘quick fix’, for a lack of a better term, often in the form of heavy, pharmaceutical medications, others are finding it almost impossible to access the life-altering medications they need, and they’re unaware of the alternative options available.

These issues are conflicting to say the least, but nonetheless, they’re equally valid and important. Often, one of more of these reasons are the motivating factor for people who turn to private healthcare providers like Releaf for more tailored care, and so, it’s only fitting that we explore them. 

So, let’s get started: 

The shortage crisis

A House of Commons Research Briefing published in April 2025 explored the reasons for, and a plan to rectify, the current medication crisis we find ourselves in. It explained the drugs most severely affected by shortages include ADHD medication (which is in increasing demand, but has intermittent production challenges) as well as HRT, common epilepsy medications, diabetes drugs, and so many more.

BGMA data was also referenced in the report. It that shows there was a 100% increase in shortages of medicines between January 2022 and January 2024, and a survey from last year that found one in 12 (8%) UK adults have gone without a medicine because it was impossible to obtain, was also included. 

A similar study of 10,000 responses published in the British Medical Journal’s Quality and Safety category also found delays in obtaining NHS treatment or help have affected almost one in ten people in Britain. In 38% of cases this harm was deemed ‘moderate’, and in 45% of cases this was said to have had a severe impact on the individual. 

84% believe patients’ health is put at risk due to shortages

Meanwhile, a survey of those working in pharmacies found 84% believe patients’ health was being put at risk due to medication shortages or issues with supply, and a survey of GPs conducted by the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) found 74% had experienced moral distress because of these shortages. An equal proportion also said patients had expressed anger or aggression towards them because of these shortages, and so, it’s clear to see they’re affecting patients and healthcare professionals alike. 

So, with so many medicines in short supply, and so many affected on both sides of healthcare, why do other reports suggest reckless prescribing is taking place? 

The overprescribing problem

Despite issues with medication shortages, a high proportion of those with long-term health conditions live with more than one chronic condition, and therefore, take more than one type or class of medication. In fact, studies show in more than one in six individuals in England take five or more medicines on a daily basis, and one in 14 take eight or more treatments a day. 

It’s also estimated that around a quarter of adults worldwide are affected by chronic pain, with 15.5 million believed to be affected in England alone. Five million of these are estimated to be taking prescribed opioids to mitigate the pain - but, as we all know, there are increasing concerns about the prevalence, and prolonged effects, of taking opioid based painkillers. 

Of course symptoms need to be managed, and so, treatments need to be prescribed - but, there are growing concerns about the sheer volume of treatments being prescribed. Which is the second prong in this debate.

In 2021, a government ordered review led by the NHS England’s Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Dr Keith Ridge found as many as 110 million prescriptions per year are believed to be unnecessary and even potentially harmful. 

This equates to around 10% of all prescription items dispensed through primary care services in England. The report concluded these were deemed inappropriate for the wishes, needs, or circumstances of the patient, or, because they could have been replaced with better, alternative treatments. 

And it’s only logical to assume that the more medication a person takes, the higher the probability that they will encounter unwanted or harmful effects from these medicines. So, it’s essential that people are only being prescribed what they actually need.

One in eight are at risk of prescription opioid misuse

Let’s take opioids as an example. Opioids are frequently prescribed for non-cancer pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, or to aid post-surgery pain, but researchers have discovered a pattern of opioid prescriptions for respiratory conditions like coughs and neurological issues like headaches. 

Now there are growing concerns about the use of opioids - especially long term usage - because of the laundry list of risks associated. From increasing the risk of falling, and affecting a person's breathing, to causing gastrointestinal complications and the development of other long term conditions, opioids can be rough on the body - and the mind. 

Recently, the University of Bristol found one in three of those taking opioid analgesics like oxycodone, morphine, tramadol, and codeine show signs of dependency. One in eight are said to be at risk of prescription opioid misuse, and, one in ten are estimated to become fully dependent on these drugs. 

In addition, over the last two decades, there has been a 49% increase in opioid-related hospitalisations (2008-2018), and in 2021, opioids were involved in almost half of drug poising deaths in the UK. But still, these drugs are often overprescribed.

So, from purely a personal health perspective, without even touching on the broader economic and social costs, it's clear overprescribing is not only dangerous, but at times, it can be deadly. 

Patients being let down

Now to tackle the third prong: people feel as though medications are prescribed as ‘sticking plasters’ - and, research shows it's not just patients that feel this way. 

It's estimated, in England, one in five adults take antidepressants - but it's also well accepted amongst healthcare providers that many of these prescriptions may be inappropriate. 

Why? Because they’ve been issued without any psychological assessments. 

So, why are they being issued?

Well, in January 2025 a survey of General Practitioners found even though 80% agreed antidepressants are often wrongly used to treat normal anxieties, many admitted they felt pressured to prescribe them. 

When asked why, the top three reasons were:

• Because there are long waiting times for mental health services
• Because there is a lack of access to alternative therapies like counselling and talking therapies
• Because patients reportedly expect a quick fix when they come to see their GP

But, as we know, much like opioids, many conventional antidepressants come with a long list of unpleasant side effects, and for many, they don’t provide adequate symptom relief.

To try to rectify this, GPs are calling for greater investment in community-based mental health resources, national guidelines to differentiate between clinical depression and situational distress, and improved access to alternative therapies like CBT, peer support and group therapy to reduce the volume of antidepressants prescribed in the UK. 

So, where do we go from here?

Last October, an online College of Medicine conference was held on the Westminster Health Forum and keynote speakers discussed a number of these issues, from how to equip GPs and pharmacists better to avoid overprescribing, to proposing strategic ‘deprescribing’ measures, and ways to empower the public to question medication choices. 

In this discussion, Katherine Le Bosquet, who was the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellow for NHS England in 2018 and 2019, said the current healthcare model ‘favours medicine over alternatives’ and that patients ‘struggle to be heard’ and are ‘reluctant to challenge’ the medicines prescribed to them by healthcare professionals.

The plans proposed to rectify these issues included expanding the duration of GP appointments to allow doctors and patients to have more in-depth conversations, which in turn will make patients feel more empowered and make their own well-informed choices in terms of treatments.

They also suggested other initiatives like improving the way medical records are shared and Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs) to regularly monitor and review treatment progress, especially in patients with co-morbidities. And while they do all sound like great ideas, it cannot be denied that the NHS is under significant strain, and, change isn’t instant.

But still, many need help now. So, they’re looking into alternatives. 

Turning to alternatives

One thing is clear: the current, conventional model of healthcare doesn’t work for everyone, and neither do traditional treatments. So, it's unsurprising many are looking in other directions - one being medical cannabis. 

Made available in 2018 in the UK on prescription from GMC registered specialist doctors, medical cannabis and cannabis-based treatments can be used to relieve a range of symptoms that are associated with different chronic health conditions. 

Symptoms known to interact with cannabis based therapies include pain, anxiety, low mood, poor sleep, muscle spasms, and brain fog, and UK residents can assess their suitability for these treatments within a matter of seconds using Releaf’s online eligibility checker. 

If it appears these options may be suitable for you, simply submit your health records (this can be done instantly by using Releaf’s integrated NHS login feature for those living in England) and book in for an appointment with one of Releaf’s expert doctors.

From there, they will work with you to design a treatment plan suited to your needs, routine, and lifestyle, and formulate a dosing routine that aims to give maximum benefit without experiencing any severe or unpleasant side effects. 

All Releaf patients are required to have regular follow-up appointments so they can keep in regular contact with the clinical team, and after treatment is stabilised medication reviews take place every 120 days minimum to ensure they’re still receiving the best results possible.

If you’re eager to turn over a new leaf, or try a more holistic approach to healthcare, sign up to Releaf today. Initial consultations are protected by our money-back guarantee, and our handy Releaf+ subscription service makes managing appointments, medication ordering and delivery a breeze. 

If conventional care hasn’t worked for you, Releaf might just be the change you’ve been looking for.