Attitudes to Doctors and Healthcare

Q4 How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about doctors?

23 March 2004

Q4 How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements about doctors?

A: I have to wait too long to see my GP these days
B: I would be happy to deal with a nurse at night (*see note) rather than a doctor if my condition was not a serious one
C: Patients expect too much of doctors
D: If you want to be sure that you are getting the best treatment, you need to see a hospital Consultant and not someone less senior
E: Doctors spend too much time on paperwork and not enough time seeing patients
F: I'd be happy to see a pharmacist instead of my GP to repeat an existing prescription, if necessary
G: Being treated in my local hospital is the most important consideration for me regarding hospital treatment (*see note)
H: Doctors are no more and no less likely to make a mistake than you or I
I: I would rather spend longer with my GP than get an appointment more quickly
J: People don't do enough themselves to prevent ill-health
K: Being able to choose which hospital I am treated in is the most important consideration for me regarding hospital treatment (*see note)
L: Those who run hospitals pay too little attention to the rights and feelings of patients
M: When you don't get your own GP at night, you are not getting the same quality of care
N: Doctors these days have too much power over patients
O: Consultants do not take enough care when they are operating
P: Doctors pay too little attention to the rights and feelings of patients
Q: Doctors are more interested in private practice than the NHS.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Strongly Agree
1999				14				20					10		2		10
2000		30		17				20					9	7	3		9
2001		30		15				20				16	9	4	3	5	9
2002	18	35	20	16	23	39		23	14	29		23
2003	20	37	17	18	23	40	23	21	14	29	21
2004		39				47
Tend to Agree
1999				34				54					26		13		27
2000		54		41				57					28	21	15		25
2001		55		39				58				43	26	22	16	30	26
2002	25	52	47	37	37	45		56	34	52		39
2003	24	50	43	38	38	44	40	54	35	49	33
2004		39				47
2004		49				39
Neither
1999				14				9					13		22		22
2000		5		16				9					14	19	22		22
2001		5		15				8				16	15	24	22	19	23
2002	10	4	13	15	17	4		7	20	10		15
2003	8	4	16	16	16	4	15	9	19	11	18
2004		4				4
Tend to Disagree
1999				28				13					33		38		29
2000		7		21				11					35	41	40		32
2001		7		24				10				17	36	39	38	35	30
2002	31	6	16	25	13	8		11	27	7		16
2003	30	5	19	23	13	9	15	13	26	7	21
2004		5				7
Strongly Disagree
1999				6				3					10		15		6
2000		2		3				3					9	8	13		7
2001		2		4				2				3	9	8	11	8	7
2002	15	2	3	5	2	3		2	5	1		3
2003	15	2	4	4	2	3	5	2	4	1	5
2004		1				3
Don't know / No opinion
1999				4				2					8		10		7
2000		1		2				1					5	3	8		5
2001		1		3				2				4	5	3	10	2	6
2002	2	0	1	2	7	1		1	2	1		3
2003	2	1	1	2	8	1	2	1	1	2	2
2004		1				1

Agree
1999				48				74					36		15		36
2000		85		57				77					37	28	18		34
2001		85		54				77				60	35	26	19	35	35
2002	43	87	67	54	61	84		79	47	81		63
2003	45	87	60	55	61	83	63	75	49	78	54
2004		88				85
Disagree
1999				34				15					43		53		35
2000		9		25				13					43	49	52		39
2001		9		28				13				20	45	47	49	43	37
2002	45	8	19	29	15	12		13	31	8		19
2003	45	8	23	27	15	12	20	15	31	9	26
2004		6				10

Notes

Base: c.2,000 British adults aged 15+ each year.
* B - The emphasis of this question has slightly changed from the version used in 2003 by introducing 'at night' into the sentence.
* G - new question for 2003, not asked in previous years.
* K - new question for 2003, not asked in previous years.
Statements F) and G) differed in 2000. The following statements were evaluated: F) I would support junior doctors going on strike to improve their pay and working conditions even if this affected patient care. G) No doctor should ever go on strike for any reason.

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