The British Social Attitudes survey, which has been running since 1983, has recorded a new low in public satisfaction with the NHS. Only 24% of the public claimed they were satisfied with the health service, citing long waiting times and staff shortages as their biggest concerns. This represents a drop of five percentage points from last year and a significant drop from the 70% satisfaction rating recorded in 2010. Of the core NHS services, A&E and dentistry received the lowest satisfaction ratings, whilst satisfaction with social care fell to 13%, the lowest rating recorded by the survey.
Research by the Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund think tanks, which took the form of a poll of over 3,000 people across England, Scotland and Wales, also showed support for increased NHS funding. When asked whether the government should increase spending to improve the service, 48% of respondents felt that taxes should be raised, 42% wanted taxes kept at their current level, and 6% thought taxes should be reduced. Respondents with higher incomes were more likely to support higher taxes.
The most common reasons for dissatisfaction with the NHS were long waiting times, a shortage of staff, and lack of funding. The survey results have prompted calls for increased funding for GP surgeries, hospitals, and social care. Rory Deighton, the NHS Confederation’s acute network director, confirmed that the next focus for the NHS would be on improving GP and dental access and reducing waiting times. He also suggested that junior doctors’ strikes in England, which have struck ten times since March last year, may be associated with the growing waiting list for elective treatments.
The Patients Association expressed dismay at the results, while the Royal College of Nursing’s general secretary, Pat Cullen, called for the NHS and care services to be the central issue of the British general election. A spokesperson for the Scottish government disputed the findings, pointing out that other research indicated greater public satisfaction with the Scottish NHS. The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged that progress was being made, but argued that investment in services was already underway
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