Majority of Britons not confident they will be able to access NHS services over Christmas period

A recent Ipsos poll reveals widespread concerns among Britons regarding access to healthcare services, particularly GP appointments, ambulances, and emergency care in A&E. The survey, conducted online among 2,161 British adults aged 18-75 from 13-17 December, 2024, highlights a lack of confidence in timely access to essential medical services.

• Lack of confidence in accessing GP appointments: In general, more than 3 in 5 Britons express a lack of confidence in their ability to secure a GP appointment promptly and at a convenient time (62%). This concern extends to access to ambulances (63%) and prompt care at A&E facilities (68%). 
• Reduced confidence during the Christmas period: Lack of confidence in accessing GP appointments and ambulances grows when asked about the Christmas season specifically, rising to 7 in 10 saying they’re not confident that they could access a GP appointment at a convenient time (72%) or have an ambulance promptly respond to a call (70%).
  
  
   
• Pharmacy access much less of a concern: A majority of the public are confident they could easily access a pharmacist in general (83%), falling to 62% when asked specifically about the Christmas period.
• Shortage of NHS services: Nearly 3 in 5 Britons (57%) think too few NHS-provided health services are available during the Christmas and New Year period. 1 in 4 (25%) think the right amount are available.
• Seeking medical help on GP closure days:  If needing medical assistance on days when GP practices are closed, the most common course of action Britons say they will take is to contact NHS 111 or use their online platform (44%), followed by finding a pharmacy (20%).  A notable minority say they would not seek any medical help at all (8%).
  
  
  
   

Kate Duxbury, Research Director at Ipsos Public Affairs, said:

Public confidence in being able to access health services is already low, but falls further over the festive period, with a significant proportion of the public perceiving a shortage of NHS-provided services over Christmas and New Year.  Our data suggests that demand will move around the system over the holidays, with NHS 111 and pharmacies the most likely alternatives to their GP practice.

Notes to Editors: 

• For media enquiries, please contact Jordana Moser at [email protected].
• For the full findings, please visit the Ipsos website. 
• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 2,161 Online British adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain between 13-17 December, 2024.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.