ONLY two out of five adults are satisfied with the quality of Scotland’s three main public services, a new survey has found.
The Scottish Household Survey, which saw around 10,500 households interviewed in March 2022, shows less Scots are satisfied with public services compared to 2019.
Overall, the number of Scots who are satisfied with the quality of their local health services, schools and public transport fell from 53% in 2019 to just 40% in 2022.
That compares with 66% of people who were satisfied with all three key services in 2011, the highest level recorded since 2007-2008.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the drop in satisfaction could be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which she said “placed many of our public services under great strain” and “had an impact on public confidence”.
Her comments came as individual satisfaction levels for local health, education and transport services all fell compared to 2019.
In 2019, 80% of those surveyed were happy with the quality of local health services, but by 2022 this had dropped to 64% - with more than a quarter (26%) dissatisfied with health care in their area.
Meanwhile, the proportion of people satisfied with the quality of local schools fell from 73% in 2019 to 69% in 2022.
And, for public transport, the satisfaction rate went from 68% in 2019 to 58% in 2022, with the latest research showing almost a quarter (23%) were dissatisfied.
Satisfaction with the three services combined was also found to be higher in the least deprived areas – where it stood at 44% – compared to the least deprived areas, where only 38% were satisfied.
When looking at trust in institutions, the survey found more than half of people expressed a degree of trust in the Scottish Government – with 10% saying they “trust it greatly”, while 45% “tend to trust it”.
The health system was the public institution with the highest level of trust – with a quarter of people (25%) saying they trusted this a great deal, while 54% tend to trust it.
Meanwhile, 16% said they greatly trusted the police, with a further 63% saying they tended to trust them.
When looking at the wider justice system, including the courts, lawyers and prisons, trust levels fell with 11% trusting this group greatly and 54% tending to trust them.
Somerville stressed that “delivering efficient and effective public services” was one of the Scottish Government’s “three key missions”.
But she complained Westminster had “failed to deliver the investment needed” and that only an independent Scotland could “transform” public services.
The Social Justice Secretary said: “The NHS, social care, schools and childcare remain our focus as we continue to work to improve living standards, to reduce poverty and to support high-quality public services.
“However, Scotland is facing the most challenging budget settlement since devolution as a result of sustained high inflation and a UK Government autumn statement that failed to deliver the investment needed in Scotland’s public services.
“This is on top of the combined impact of a decade of austerity and economic mismanagement by the UK Government and the economic damage of a hard Brexit.
“To truly transform our economy, society, and public services we need the powers of independence.”
