Human Tissue Authority Public and Professional Stakeholder Evaluation 2013

Public confidence and advocacy in the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) has increased, and public confidence in donation is boosted by regulation according to an Ipsos survey.

Public confidence and advocacy in the HTA has increased, and public confidence in donation is boosted by regulation according to a survey published today. The Human Tissue Authority commissioned Ipsos to research public and professional views on the regulation of human tissue.

General public survey results

Knowing there is a watchdog for tissue and organs makes people more confident to donate. People agreed that knowing there is a regulator makes them more confident to donate their organs for transplant (53% agree), tissue for patient treatment (54%) and tissue for medical research (51%).

There has also been an increase in the number of Britons who recognise the benefits of regulating human tissue. A third feel that regulation of human tissue and organs stops bad practice from occurring, whilst others cite that regulation ensures human tissue is not abused, tissue is safer for treatment and that people’s wishes will be respected.

Although the public can cite the benefits of regulation, overall public confidence in human tissue regulation has decreased slightly since 2010. Confidence is now in line with the levels of confidence in health regulation in general. However, according to the survey, 40% of the public lack confidence in health regulation generally, compared to 22% for human tissue regulation specifically.

Professional survey results

As in 2010, professional stakeholders were also surveyed by Ipsos online. 362 stakeholders responded to the online survey, from across all sectors the HTA works with. Key results from surveying these stakeholders include:

  • Confidence in the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) as a regulator is even higher than three years ago. The survey found that 92% of professional stakeholders have confidence in the HTA as a regulator, representing an increase of 6 percentage points since the 2010 survey.
  • Almost nine in ten (87%) of the HTA’s professional stakeholders say that the HTA keeps them well informed about its work generally.
  • On advocacy, approaching three-quarters (73%) would speak highly of the HTA, up by 15 percentage points since 2010.

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Technical Note

The HTA surveys professional and public confidence in human tissue regulation every three years (professional surveys took place in 2010 and 2013, public surveys took place in 2007, 2010 and 2013, all conducted by Ipsos) to help influence its strategic direction and ensure transparency.

Ipsos conducted three surveys on behalf of the Human Tissue Authority as follows:

  • Professional Stakeholder Quantitative Research: Survey of 362 of the HTA’s professional stakeholders conducted online by Ipsos between 15 July and 1 August 2013. Data for 2013 are weighted to the sample profile to account for non-response bias.
  • General Public Quantitative Research: Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 987 adults aged 15+ between 2 and 12 August 2013. Interviews were carried out face-to-face in home with the aid of CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) terminals in Great Britain.
  • Additional General Public Quantitative Research: A question about public confidence in health sector regulation in general was asked of a separate representative sample of 998 adults aged 15+ between 16 and 22 August 2013. Again interviews were carried out face-to-face in home with the aid of CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) terminals in Great Britain.

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