Public satisfaction with NHS at lowest ever level, survey shows.

Public satisfaction with the NHS has fallen again in a new low recorded by the long-running British Social Attitudes survey.

More than 3,000 people were polled by the National Centre for Social Research across England, Wales and Scotland last autumn.

Only 24% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2023, with waiting times and staff shortages the biggest concerns. This is 5% down from 2022 and a significant fall from the 2010 high of 70% satisfaction. Since 2020, satisfaction has fallen by 29 percentage points. 

The findings on the NHS, published by the Nuffield Trust and King's Fund think tanks, show once again that performance has deteriorated after a new record low was seen in 2023.

Of the core services, the public was least satisfied with A&E and dentistry and satisfaction with social care had fallen to 13%, again the lowest since the survey began. The major reasons for dissatisfaction were long waiting times, staffing shortages and lack of funding.

When asked about government choices on tax and spending on the NHS, 48% backed increasing taxes and spending more on the NHS, but 42% preferred to keep taxes and spending the same. Only 6% backed reducing taxes and spending less.

Those with the highest incomes were more likely to want to increase taxes and spend more.

The NHS Confederation's acute network director, Rory Deighton, told the BBC that the figures "reflect exactly how people are feeling. Times are tough, it's hard for staff and I think people recognise that. We've had a really hard year."

He said the focus for NHS leaders in the next 12 to 24 months would be on improving GP and dental access and cutting waiting lists.

Rory Deighton also called for increased spending on hospitals, GP surgeries and social care. He said there was a "really strong link" between industrial action and the size of waiting lists for elective treatments. 

A fellow at the rom the Nuffield Trust, Jessica Morris, said the findings were worrying and added: "Despite such low levels of satisfaction, the public continue to back the principles underpinning the NHS. 

"The public has not fallen out of love with the idea of a publicly funded, free-at-the-point-of-use NHS, but they are losing confidence that it will support them and their loved ones in the best possible way when they need it." 

The Patients Association said it was "dismayed" by the survey results and the Royal College of Nursing general secretary, Prof Pat Cullen, said: "An NHS that was once a world-leader is now treating patients in corridors, doorways, and store cupboards. The status quo has become intolerable." 

But a spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care in England said progress was being made, with some signs that the waiting list was falling, while investment was being made in key areas, such as GPs.

He added: "We are fully committed to a faster, simpler and fairer NHS, free at the point of need.”

The Scottish government said other research showed people in Scotland were more satisfied with the way the NHS was run than the survey suggested.

A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We recognise performance is not where it should be. That is why, despite significant budget pressures, we continue to increase spending on the NHS and have more staff working in the NHS than ever before."

The poll, a crucial measure of the public's view of the health service, has been running since 1983.