Just 21% said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2024, with waiting times and staff shortages the biggest concerns
Public satisfaction with the National Health Service (NHS) has reached an all-time low, according to the latest British Social Attitudes survey. The survey, which has been conducted annually since 1983, found that only 21% of respondents were satisfied with the NHS in 2024. This marks a significant decline from the 60% satisfaction rate recorded in 2019, highlighting a sharp drop in public confidence following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey, which polled nearly 3,000 people across England, Wales, and Scotland last autumn, identified waiting times and staff shortages as the primary concerns among respondents. The dissatisfaction was most pronounced in Wales, where public sentiment towards the NHS was the most negative. Additionally, satisfaction with social care services, which include care homes and in-home assistance, was even lower, with only 13% of respondents expressing satisfaction—a figure unchanged from the previous year.
The survey findings, which predate the government’s announcement of increased funding in last year’s Budget, revealed that over two-thirds of respondents did not believe the NHS received adequate funding. However, concerns about financial mismanagement were also prevalent, with only 14% of respondents stating that the NHS used its funds efficiently. This dichotomy underscores the public’s complex views on NHS funding, balancing the need for more resources with concerns about waste.
Bea Taylor, from the Nuffield Trust think-tank, which co-published the survey results with the King’s Fund, remarked on the stark decline in public satisfaction. “Just five years after the British public were called on to ‘Protect the NHS’ at the start of the pandemic, these findings reveal just how dismayed they are about the state of the NHS,” she said. Despite the drop in satisfaction, Taylor noted that support for the core principles of the NHS—free at the point of use, available to all, and funded by taxation—remains strong.
Louise Ansari, from the patient watchdog Healthwatch England, described the survey as a “sobering reminder” of the challenges facing the NHS. She acknowledged the public’s appreciation for the hard work of NHS staff but emphasized that long waiting times and access issues had significantly eroded confidence in the system’s ability to provide timely care.
Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents health managers, echoed these sentiments. “These figures must be a wake-up call for the NHS,” she said. “It’s clear radical action is needed across the board to restore the public’s faith in the NHS.”
England’s Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, acknowledged the survey’s findings, stating, “We inherited a broken NHS and this survey shows patients agree.” He highlighted that additional funding had been allocated since the survey was conducted and noted that improvements were beginning to be seen, though he acknowledged that progress would take time. Streeting expressed optimism about the forthcoming 10-year plan for the NHS, expected to be unveiled in the summer, which he believes will once again make the NHS the “envy of the world.”
