Survey indicates that public satisfaction with the NHS has fallen significantly

Posted 13/06/2012

The poll indicates satisfaction fell from 70% to 58% last year – the largest annual drop since it started in 1983. The 1,096 respondents to the health questions were asked “how satisfied or dissatisfied” were they with the way in which the National Health Service (NHS) was run.

The King’s Fund think-tank sponsored the NHS questions and commented that this poll is important because it has tracked satisfaction over such a long period of time. The answers appear to be closely linked to the debate on NHS reforms and spending squeezes rather than care quality. The Government has said that the survey contradicted its poll among patients, which reveals nine in 10 would rate their care as good, very good or excellent.

The health minister has reported to the BBC that: “The British Social Attitudes Survey targets the general public rather than targeting people who have actually used the NHS, so responses are influenced by other factors… By its nature it is not as accurate a picture as the data from patients.”

Sophie Bales, a medical injury solicitor at Ashtons Legal comments: “It is true that the responses from the British Social Attitudes Survey have been influenced by other social and political factors and do not specifically target patients who have received care at NHS Hospitals. However, it is untrue that this means that it does not give an accurate picture of how the public feel about the NHS. The responses have shown that the public are confused and worried about the future of the NHS. Concern has been exacerbated by the NHS Reforms debate and reports of restricted services and redundancies in the past six months. Until the future of the NHS is shown to be secure, public confidence is unlikely to be restored.”