British Social Attitudes survey reveals dissatisfaction with NHS
Public satisfaction with the NHS has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded, according to analysis of the latest British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) published today by The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust.
According to the latest findings, for the first time in the 41-year history of the survey, less than a quarter of people are satisfied with how the NHS is running.
Key findings
- Satisfaction with the NHS now stands at 24% – a fall of 5 percentage points from the previous year.
- Dissatisfaction is also at an all-time high, with more than half (52%) of respondents saying they were dissatisfied with the NHS.
- The main reasons for dissatisfaction include long waits for hospital or GP appointments, staff shortages, and opinions on lack of funding.
- Public satisfaction with social care has fallen to 13%, the lowest level since the survey began.
- Nearly three quarters (71%) of respondents who were dissatisfied with the NHS pointed to long waiting times for GP and hospital appointments as one of their top reasons for dissatisfaction, followed by staffing shortages (54%)
- 84% of respondents expressed the view that the NHS has a major or severe funding problem.
Strong support for NHS
Despite record low levels of satisfaction with the NHS, public support for the founding principles of the NHS, which marked its 75th anniversary in 2023, is as strong as ever. There was overwhelming support for a publicly funded, universal and free service. Of those who were satisfied with the NHS, the top reason was because NHS care is free at the point of use (66%)
