Public perceptions of NHS turn corner, but long way to go
Responding to the latest British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey, which shows overall public satisfaction with the NHS has increased, Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation speaking on behalf of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers (which from April will become The NHS Alliance), said:
"These findings show the NHS has started to turn a corner. But there is a long way to go before public satisfaction levels are back to the high watermark level of the late 2000s.
"Health leaders and their teams are pulling out all the stops to see and treat as many patients as possible whilst demand continues to surge so they will take some comfort from these figures which show that over a quarter of people say they satisfied with the NHS – a significant rise over the past year.
"It is also heartening to note that the British public still ultimately believe in what the NHS does and what it stands for, with no change in support for the founding principles of the health service.
"However, NHS leaders will not rest on their laurels and know well that there is much more to be done to follow through on the progress the health service is making.
"There is a risk that with continued pressure from rising demand and tight NHS budgets, the momentum we’re beginning to see building will stall.
"Simply carrying on as before won’t be enough to drive down waiting lists, or drive-up public satisfaction further, nor is it sustainable and affordable in the long term. The real challenge is how the NHS can deliver patient care so that more people are seen and treated locally before they become acutely ill. This will require sustained support and commitment from government."
