More than 50% of Brits think that the standard of care provided by the NHS has got worse in the last 12 months.
New research published by the Health Foundation and Ipsos shows 57% of Brits think standard of care provided by local NHS trusts has deteriorated - and only 12% believe the Conservative government has the right policies in place for the health service.
Of the 2000+ people surveyed, a further 69% thought the standard of social care services had got worse over the past year, with 43% predicting that NHS standards would diminish further still over the next 12 months.
The research also showed that those living in poorer areas were more likely to think GP and hospital care has deteriorated than those living in affluent postcodes.
The findings are revealed just days after Gove unveiled his levelling up white paper which Labour slammed as a “shopping list of recycled policies and fiddling the figures.”
Experts claim that while public support for the NHS remains strong with 89% agreeing treatment should remain free at the point of delivery, there are increasing concerns about workforce pressures, NHS staffing numbers and long waits for elective surgeries.
Tim Gardner, senior policy fellow at the Health Foundation, said: “Staff are overstretched and exhausted, and it’s clear that the public are noticing.
“Despite waning confidence in the government’s policies, backing for the core principles of the NHS remains very strong.
“The public clearly wants to see the health service supported to recover from the pandemic, not radical changes to the NHS model.
“With government yet to come forward with a comprehensive workforce strategy and waiting lists at record highs, it is no surprise that the public’s faith in government’s current NHS policies is low.
“While views differ on the priorities for the NHS, taking action to address the workforce crisis will be the one key ingredient that will enable progress against all of the public’s top priorities.”
The research also shows that people in Scotland and Wales are significantly more likely to agree that the devolved governments have the right policies in place for the NHS (32% and 23% respectively).
