Dr Wigan turns to YouTube to tackle misinformation

A family doctor has taken to YouTube to post medical advice videos in hopes of combating the spread of health misinformation online.

Dr Derek Adu-Sarkodie, lead GP at a surgery in Wigan, said the content meant he could get relevant information to patients wherever they were, rather than going to other sources, which might not be accurate.

His free YouTube channel offers short videos to help patients better understand their illnesses.

Dr Adu-Sarkodie said he wanted to tackle conditions such as liver disease and bowel cancer after some patients refused treatment because of a social media post they saw.

Dr. Derek, as he calls himself, said he understands how people can be misled.

“This content can be so engaging, and if someone with 200,000 subscribers is telling you information, then you think it must be credible,” he said.

A video he uploaded seven months ago explaining five warning signs of bowel cancer has been viewed by 242,000 people.

He said: “The number of people who watched that video is more than I could see if I worked every day as a GP for the next 15 or 20 years.

“Because of how busy things are for healthcare professionals, there is an emphasis on clinics, but people are spending more time on these platforms.”

Now anyone diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency is sent a link to one of his videos, helping to ease the pressure on his Atherton surgery.

Reaching out to a family member in this way can also help different generations, the doctor said.

“I sent my mom a video of some milestones for her baby – she watched it and when I saw her again she said my mom watched your video about breast cancer and grandma watched your video about intestinal cancer,” he added.

Last year, a report by independent fact-checking charity Full Fact found that 74% of people were concerned about the spread of misleading or false information.

Dr Adu-Sarkodie said he would like to see other doctors copy his example.

“This is the world we live in now,” he said.

“It’s not the same as a few years ago when you could give a patient a leaflet.

“It has to be deeper than that because there is more fake information out there than qualified people trying to get the facts right.”

Dr Tim Dalton, Associate Medical Director at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board, said: “We welcome Dr Adu-Sarkodie’s effort to share important health messages with the public through his YouTube channel.

“As a busy GP, his short and informative videos address important health issues in a way that people can easily understand.”