NHS makes us proud to be British, survey shows
Two thirds of the public would prefer the NHS to receive additional funding to maintain health services, according to an Ipsos MORI poll, reported in the Health Service Journal.
The survey also revealed that 79% of Brits want the NHS to be protected from harmful budget cuts – more so than local schools, care for the elderly or the police. Just over half of the participants even stated that the NHS is what makes them most proud to be British, above other icons such as the royal family and the BBC.
Out of the 19 countries involved in the study, Britain was the second most positive about the quality of our healthcare, with over 60% labelling it as ‘good’.
Positive feedback
Despite the NHS receiving a glowing report from the majority of the public, the findings also demonstrated that there are fears about the NHS’s future, with 43% of people estimating that our healthcare quality will decline, making Britain one of the least optimistic countries in the survey.
A lack of resources was pinpointed as the main culprit for a potential decline in quality, with 65% of the public supporting the idea of increasing funding the NHS rather than scaling back services.
John Appleby, chief economist at The King’s Fund, told HSJ that with regard to spending priorities “health always come top. It’s almost unwavering from year to year.”
