NHS Satisfaction Hits Record Low, Report Finds

Public satisfaction with the NHS has dropped to its lowest level since 1983, according to a major survey. 

An analysis of the latest British Social Attitudes survey by The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust showed a “startling collapse” in the proportion of people satisfied with the health service and social care.

The survey by the National Centre for Social Research, conducted between 16 September and 27 October 2024, polled nearly 3000 adults in England, Scotland, and Wales. It found that 59% of adults were dissatisfied with the health service, up 7% in a year and the highest level on record.

Only 21% reported being satisfied with NHS services — the lowest figure recorded. Satisfaction has plummeted from 60% of adults in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and from a peak of 70% in 2010. 

Dissatisfaction was highest in Wales, where 72% of respondents expressed discontent.

There was a divide between generations. Younger people reported significantly lower satisfaction rates than older age groups, with satisfaction among under-65s falling from 24% to 19%. In contrast, satisfaction among over-65s rose slightly from 25% to 27%.

A&E Satisfaction at an All-Time Low

For the first time, accident and emergency (A&E) services were rated as the NHS’s worst-performing area. The survey found:

• 52% of respondents were dissatisfied with A&E services, up from 38% in 2023.
• Only 19% were satisfied, down from 31% the previous year.
• 69% were unhappy with waiting times in A&E, whereas just 12% expressed satisfaction.

Mark Dayan, a policy analyst at the Nuffield Trust and one of the report’s authors, said it was “the most dramatic loss of confidence in how the NHS runs that we have seen in 40 years of this survey.”

The findings demonstrated “just how dismayed” people are about the state of the NHS, said report author Bea Taylor, fellow at the Nuffield Trust. “The government says the NHS is broken, and the public agree,” she underlined.

In a statement, Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said the “barometer of public feeling” agreed with the government’s view of a broken NHS and it needed to “get on with the job of fixing it.”

GP and Dental Services Also Struggling

The analysis also showed a sharp drop in satisfaction with GPs. Until 2018, general practice had consistently been the most highly rated NHS service. However, declining levels of satisfaction meant that by 2024, only 31% of adults said they were satisfied with GP services, while 49% said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied. 

Only 23% of respondents said they were satisfied with the length of time it took to get a GP appointment, whilst 62% said they were dissatisfied.

“The unfortunate reality is that patient need for GP care and services continues to outstrip the resources available to us to deliver it,” commented Dr Michael Mulholland, honorary secretary of the Royal College of General Practitioners, in a statement.

Public satisfaction with NHS dentistry fell to a record low of 20%, compared with 60% in the pre-pandemic year of 2019, whereas dissatisfaction (55%) was at a record high and the highest for any specific NHS service. 

Broader Concerns

The survey highlighted widespread concerns beyond emergency and primary care:

• 65% of respondents were dissatisfied with hospital appointment waiting times, whereas only 14% were satisfied.
• 72% believed there were not enough NHS staff, with just 11% saying staffing levels were adequate.
• 53% were dissatisfied with adult social care services, whereas only 13% expressed satisfaction.

Despite these concerns, 51% of the public said they were “very” or “quite” satisfied with the quality of NHS care. This view was more dominant among older people, with 68% of over-65s satisfied with the quality of care compared with 47% of those under 65.

“Support for the core principles of the NHS — free at the point of use, available to all and funded by taxation — endures, despite the collapse in satisfaction,” noted Taylor.

Public Priorities

Survey respondents also identified key priorities for improving NHS services. These included making it easier to get a GP appointment (51%), improving A&E waiting times (49%), and increasing staffing levels (48%).

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, described the analysis as “a wake-up call for the NHS.” She called for “radical action” to restore public confidence and “turn the tide on falling patient satisfaction.”

Dr Rob Hicks is a retired NHS doctor. A well-known TV and radio broadcaster, he has written three books and has regularly contributed to national newspapers, magazines, and online. He is based in the UK.