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August 2024 - Health

Yearly survey records low satisfaction rate for the NHS: A yearly survey by The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has revealed the lowest level of satisfaction for the NHS since the BSA survey began in 1983, with only 24% of respondents stating they are satisfied with the NHS. The level of satisfaction was 5% lower compared to the 2022 survey and 29% lower compared to the 2020 version.

The BSA (British Social Attitudes) survey has been conducted annually since 1983, asking British people what it is like to live in Britain and what they think about how Britain is run. The 2023 survey was carried out between September and October 2023 with findings published earlier this year. The survey asks questions that measure levels of public satisfaction with the health and care services, finding that the rate of dissatisfaction for the NHS is at a record high of 52% - according to data from a nationally representative sample of 3,374 people. Additionally, 1,206 people were asked about their satisfaction with specific NHS services.

The survey revealed that the main reasons for people being dissatisfied with the NHS were waiting times for GP and hospital appointments (71%), staff shortages (54%) and a view that the government does not spend enough money on the NHS (47%). On the other hand, of those who were satisfied with the NHS, the top reason was because NHS care is free at the point of use (66%). Over half stated reasons such as the NHS having a good range of services and treatments available (53%) and the quality of NHS care (52%) for why they were satisfied.

In terms of specific services, NHS social care had the lowest satisfaction rate, with only 13% of people saying they were satisfied with this service. Dentistry had the second lowest satisfaction rate – only 24% of respondents were satisfied, which isn’t a surprise after many NHS dentists became privatised. Not one service had a satisfaction rate above 50%, with the outpatient service having the highest percentage, at 44%.

When the survey respondents were asked questions about their attitudes towards NHS funding and priorities, 84% of respondents said they thought the NHS had a ‘major or severe’ funding issue. The top two priorities for the NHS were to make it easier to get a GP appointment (52%) and to increase the number of staff in the NHS (51%).

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