Public satisfaction with the National Health Service (NHS) and social care experienced a notable decline in 2017, reaching its lowest point in nine years. The British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, analysed by the Nuffield Trust, revealed that overall satisfaction with the NHS dropped by four percentage points to 57%. This figure represents a return to satisfaction levels last observed in 2008, following a period of increasing public contentment with the health service between 2011 and 2015.
The survey, a long-running barometer of public opinion on the NHS, identified several key drivers behind this downturn. Foremost among these were public concerns regarding inadequate government funding for the NHS, staff shortages, and the increasing length of waiting lists for various treatments. These issues collectively contributed to a perception that the health service was struggling to meet demand and maintain quality of care.
Drilling down into specific services, satisfaction with general practitioner (GP) services saw the most significant fall, decreasing by six percentage points to 73%. While still a high level of satisfaction, this decline reflects growing pressures on primary care, including difficulties in securing appointments and continuity of care. Similarly, satisfaction with accident and emergency (A&E) services also decreased, albeit less sharply, by two percentage points to 53%.
Despite the overall drop in satisfaction, the survey underscored the enduring public support for the fundamental principles of the NHS. A substantial 70% of respondents continued to believe that the NHS should be funded through general taxation, free at the point of use, and available to everyone. This indicates that while there are concerns about its current performance, the public remains committed to its core values and structure.
The findings from the 2017 BSA survey provide crucial insights into public sentiment regarding the NHS at a time of significant financial and operational strain. They highlight the ongoing challenges faced by the health service in balancing increasing demand with finite resources, and the impact these pressures have on public perception and confidence in care provision.