Public attitudes to the NHS

Public attitudes to the NHS

www.health.org.uk/publicattitudes

February 2015

The British Social Attitudes survey Annual survey initiated by NatCen in 1983

Measures social and political attitudes and moral

values

Random sample of 3000 adults across Britain

Face-to-face interview

Range of funding sources: government depts,

charities, grants from ESRC and other foundations

Health is a key topic

3

Figure 1. Public spending on health in the UK, in real terms and as a

percentage of national income.

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

0.09

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

194

9/5

0

195

1/5

2

195

3/5

4

195

5/5

6

195

7/5

8

195

9/6

0

196

1/6

2

196

3/6

4

196

5/6

6

196

7/6

8

196

9/7

0

197

1/7

2

19

73

/74

197

5/7

6

197

7/7

8

197

9/8

0

198

1/8

2

198

3/8

4

198

5/8

6

198

7/8

8

198

9/9

0

199

1/9

2

199

3/9

4

19

95

/96

199

7/9

8

199

9/0

0

200

1/0

2

200

3/0

4

200

5/0

6

200

7/0

8

200

9/1

0

201

1/1

2

201

3/1

4

£m

illio

n

Public sector spending on health Public sector spending on health as % of GDP

Source: Lloyd T. Funding overview: Historical trends in the UK. The Health Foundation, 2015.

Note: GDP deflators for 1949/50 to 1954/55 are estimated.

4

Figure 2. Political party supporter representation in the BSA results

3%

3%

3%

7%

12%

34%

38%

Scottish National

Party

Green Party

Other

Liberal Democrat

UKIP/Veritas

Conservative

Labour

Unweighted base: 2,878

Maximum margin of error: 1.8%

5

Figure 3. Percentage of population (born before 2001) belonging to each of

the four generations since 1961

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011

Generation Y

Generation X

Baby boomers

War and Before

Adults under 35

Adults aged 35-48

Adults aged 49-69

Adults 70 and over

Source: ONS population estimates England & Wales: 1838 to 2013

6

Figure 4. View on whether the government should support a national health

system that is tax funded, free at the point of use, and providing comprehensive

care for all citizens

89%

10%

<1%

Agree or strongly agree

Disagree or strongly

disagreeDon't know



7

Figure 5. View on whether the government should support a national health

system that is tax funded, free at the point of use, and providing

comprehensive care for all citizens, by political party supported

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly agree Agree Disgree Strongly disagree

Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat UKIP

Unweighted bases: 144-838

Maximum margins of error: Lab 3.4%; Con 3.6%; Lib Dems 8.2%; UKIP 6.0%

8

Figure 6. Percentage of respondents agreeing that the government should

support a national health system that is tax funded, free at the point of use,

and providing comprehensive care for all citizens

89%95% 93%

England Scotland Wales

Unweighted bases: 165-2,449

Maximum margins of error: ENG 2.0%; SCOT 6.0%; WAL 7.6%

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Figure 7. View on how the general standard of care has changed over the

last five years

4%

22%

43%

24%

4%

Much better Better About the same Worse Much worse



10

Figure 8. View on how the general standard of care has changed over the

last five years, by experience of being an inpatient in the last year or not

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Better About the same Worse

Recent experience of being an inpatient No recent experience of being an inpatient


Maximum margins of error: Yes 8.3%; No 3.9%

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Figure 9. View on where people would like to receive NHS-funded treatment

39%

16%

2%

43%

...an NHS service ...a private service ...a non-profit service ...or would you not

have a preference?

Unweighted base: 2878


12

Figure 10. View on where people would like to receive NHS-funded

treatment, by generation

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


have a preference?

War and before Baby boomers Generation X Generation Y

Unweighted base: 543-1075

Maximum margins of error: WAB 4.1%%; BB 3.0%; X 3.7%; Y 4.2%

13

Figure 11. View on where people would like to receive NHS-funded

treatment from, by party supported

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%


have a preference?

Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat UKIP

Base: 2075

Maximum margins of error: Lab 3.4%; Con 3.6%; Lib Dems 8.2%; UKIP 6.0%

14

Figure 12. View on still being happy to be treated in non-NHS organisations

even if this meant that your local NHS hospital or clinic was at risk of being

closed as a result of people using other providers

15

Figure 13. View on the way the NHS uses money

7%

37%

51%

The NHS almost never wastes

money

The NHS generally doesn't

waste money

The NHS often wastes money



16

Figure 14. View on the way the NHS uses money, by generation

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

The NHS almost never

wastes money

The NHS generally doesn t

waste money

The NHS often wastes

money

War and before Baby boomers Generation X Generation Y

Unweighted base: 543-1,075

Maximum margins of error: WAB 4.1%%; BB 3.0%; X 3.7%; Y 4.2%

17

Figure 15. Percentage of respondents who think that the NHS often wastes

money

52%

45%

56%




18

Figure 16. Willingness for the government to spend less money on other

public services to maintain current NHS services

38%

58%

3%

Yes

No

Don't know



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Figure 17. View on cutting other public services to maintain current NHS

services, by views on how often the NHS wastes money

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Often Generally doesn't Almost Never

Yes, cut other services to maintain the NHS

No, don't cut other services to maintain the NHS


Maximum margins of error: Often 2.5%; Generally doesn't 3.1%; Almost never 7.3%

20

Figure 18. View on cutting other public services to maintain current NHS

services, by recent experience of being an inpatient in an NHS hospital

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Has been an inpatient Has not been an inpatient

Yes, cut other public services No, don't cut other public services


Maximum margins of error: Has been 8.4%; Hasn't been 4.0%

21

Figure 19. Percentage of respondents willing to cut other public services to

fund NHS



37%40%

47%


22

Figure 20. Percentage of respondents prepared to travel further away from

their home for different types of care

86%

72%

58%

56%

42%

Specialist and complex

Mental Health

Maternity

GP

A&E



23

Figure 21. Would you still be prepared to travel further away from your

home for care if this meant that your local hospital or clinic was at risk of

being closed?

45%

52%

3%

Yes

No

Don't know



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Keep in touchFor all the latest news and developments from the Health Foundation:

Visit our website at www.health.org.uk

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter at

www.health.org.uk/newsletter

Register for email alerts to be notified about our latest work at

www.health.org.uk/updates

Take part in conversation and debate about current healthcare

issues on our blog

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

24

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Public attitudes to the NHS

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Public attitudes to the NHS