27% lack confidence in local NHS services this winter

Under-funding given the most blame for NHS problems

A quarter of Britons (27%) lack confidence that they would receive high quality NHS care in their local area this winter, Ipsos’s January Political Monitor reveals. One in five (20%) say they are not very confident in their local NHS services this winter, with seven percent not confident at all. Just over seven in ten (72%) say they are confident in receiving good quality care from their local NHS this winter (19% very confident, 53% fairly confident).

Looking only at England, seven in ten (70%) are confident they would receive high quality NHS care in their area this winter, an identical proportion to November 2014. The proportion not very/at all confident has risen to 29%, from 25% in November. Confidence is lowest in London, where 40% say they aren’t confident in their local NHS services this winter.

Confidence in the NHS under normal circumstances is higher; one in six (16%) are not confident in NHS services in their local area generally (11% not very confident, five percent not at all confident), while 83% are confident (34% very confident, 49% fairly confident).

Nearly seven in ten (68%) of Britons think “the NHS is a symbol of what is great about Great Britain and we must do everything we can to maintain it”, while 29% think “the NHS was a great project for its time but we probably can’t maintain it in its current form”. Eight in ten Labour supporters (81%) think we must do everything we can to maintain the NHS, while 17% think we probably can’t maintain it. Conservative supporters are more evenly split; 55% think we must do everything we can to maintain the NHS, with 44% saying we probably can’t maintain it in its current form. 

Two in three English people  (66%) think the NHS is a symbol of what is great about Great Britain and that we should do everything we can to maintain it (up from 60% in October 2013). Three in ten (30%) hold the contrasting view that the NHS was a great project for its time but that it is probable we can’t maintain it in its current form (unchanged since October 2013). 

Britons are most likely to blame underfunding/cuts generally for the NHS’ problems in A&Es, mentioned by three in ten (30%). A quarter each think people using A&E when they should be going to their GP or a pharmacist (24%) and pressures on staff (23%) explain the NHS’ shortcomings. One in eight (12%) mention government generally, the same proportion as NHS managers. Labour supporters are more likely to blame underfunding (41%), while Conservative voters place more responsibility on people using A&Es inappropriately (36%, twice as many as the 17% among Labour voters).

Half (48%) think Labour will increase spending on the NHS if they win in May; 32% think they will keep NHS spending the same, while nine percent think they will reduce spending. In contrast, three in ten (31%) think the Conservatives would reduce spending if they formed the next government; 41% think they would keep spending at the current level, while 20% think they would increase spending.

Gideon Skinner, Head of Political Research at Ipsos said:

"The NHS remains a great source of pride to many Britons, and confidence in normal circumstances remains high.  But this affection also means the winter crisis in A&E is worrying the public and shooting the NHS up the election agenda, with underlying concerns about underfunding and lack of staff, as we have seen for many years, and perhaps a recognition that some of us need to change our habits too".

Downloads

• Download the topline results (PDF)
• Download the charts (PDF)
• Download the computer tables (PDF)

Technical Note:

Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 1,010 adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. Numbers based on England-only interviews are based on a sample of 854 English adults aged 18+. Interviews were conducted by telephone 11-13 January 2015.  Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.