New research suggests patient satisfaction with the NHS is at its lowest level for a decade, with just 53% of people surveyed happy with how the service is run – the lowest percentage since 2007.
The research further shows that around half of people in Britain believe the NHS has too few staff and too little money (despite the government’s recent £20.5 billion-a-year funding boost) while patient frustration with lengthening waits for GP or hospital appointments is the main reason for the widespread disillusionment.
The results are based on responses given by about 3,000 adults in England, Scotland and Wales when asked about the NHS and social care. The interviews were carried out by the National Centre for Social Research.
With patient dissatisfaction running at record levels, it has also emerged that the four-hour A&E waiting time – which has not been met since July 2015 – could be dropped and replaced with new measures.
Instead of being seen within four hours, patients in England with the most serious conditions will receive quicker treatment, while people with more minor conditions can expect to wait longer.
While any unwinding of the four hour target is likely to prove controversial, there is an urgent need to reduce waiting times for serious conditions.
A number of conditions can worsen within hours and reach a stage where treatment is either ineffective or impossible.
If there is a delay in treatment – particularly in the case of accidents and emergencies – patients can suffer life-changing injuries and NHS Trusts can be found negligent as a result.