Benenden survey reveals lack of public confidence in the NHS

There is a major lack of confidence in the future of the NHS, according to results of a survey published today.

The survey of 2,000 people, carried out for Benenden Healthcare Society, reveals that more than two in five people in the UK do not believe that the NHS will be there for them in ten years’ time. Only a third believe that the health service will exist in 20 years.

In addition, half of those questioned believe that Government policies will weaken the NHS over the next few years. Just 11 per cent believe that the recent reforms will strengthen the position of the NHS in the future. Ken Hesketh, chief executive of Benenden Healthcare Society, said:

“The public are clearly concerned about what lies further down the road when it comes to healthcare reassurance."

“What these findings ultimately show is that there is a real need for further consideration and debate around the future of healthcare provision and how improvements in standards can be financed going forward.”

Whilst 89 per cent of participants believe that the NHS would be there to provide good quality healthcare in the case of an emergency, only 48 per cent believed the same for a chronic condition like stress or back pain.

Respondents believe that only 13 per cent of the healthcare budget should be spent on private healthcare, which can be accessed through health insurance. However, respondents believe this figure is likely to increase to 30 per cent in ten years’ time.