NHS Satisfaction Hits Record Low, Survey Finds, as Public Frustration Mounts
Public satisfaction with the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has hit its lowest level since records began over 40 years ago, according to new figures from the British Social Attitudes survey.
Just 21% of people said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2024, compared to 60% before the pandemic in 2019. The decline, experts say, is being driven by worsening waiting times, staff shortages, and access issues across critical services like GP care, A&E, and dentistry.
The survey, considered the gold standard in measuring public opinion on the NHS, gathered responses from nearly 3,000 people in England, Scotland, and Wales in the autumn of 2024.
Sharp Declines in Core Services
The most dramatic drops in satisfaction include:
- A&E services: 19% satisfied (down from 54% in 2019)
- NHS dentistry: 20% satisfied (down from 60%)
- GP services: 31% satisfied (down from 68%)
People in Wales reported the highest levels of dissatisfaction among the three nations.
Firsthand Frustrations
Patients like James Cullinane, 41, from Luton, say the system has become nearly impossible to navigate. “You call at 8am, every morning, hoping for an appointment—and there usually aren’t any,” he said. He’s been forced to rely on NHS 111 and walk-in centres for urgent care.
Others, like Susan Quenby, 68, from York, shared horrifying experiences. After arriving at A&E with infected wounds, she waited 17 hours to be admitted and later learned she had sepsis. “My sheets were changed only once in eight days. I feared catching another infection.”
Faith in Funding—but Not in Efficiency
While 68% of respondents believe the NHS is underfunded, only 14% feel it spends its current budget efficiently.
Bea Taylor from the Nuffield Trust described the results as a “wake-up call” just five years after the public rallied to “Protect the NHS” during COVID. “The public believe the NHS is broken,” she said. “But its founding principles—universal, tax-funded, free at the point of use—still matter deeply to people.”
Reaction and Reforms
Healthwatch England’s Louise Ansari called the survey a “sobering reminder” of just how much public confidence has eroded. And Saffron Cordery, interim CEO of NHS Providers, warned that “radical action” is needed to restore faith in the system.
Responding to the figures, Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the depth of the crisis: “We inherited a broken NHS—and the public clearly agree.”
He pointed to recent funding boosts and upcoming reforms, including a 10-year recovery plan expected this summer, aiming to make the NHS once again “the envy of the world.”
