what sort of healthcare does the public expect, want or need? - synopsis of survey findings
Healthcare funding review research report 4
August 2000
Summary
The concept of a healthcare system which is primarily free at the point of use and provides equal access to the same standard of care for all is strongly supported. However, there is also a growing awareness that the principle of equal access is under strain.
Public satisfaction with the quality of healthcare, and of clinical staff, is generally high, although views about the private sector work of consultants attracted some criticism.
Regional variations are apparent, with Londoners less likely to be satisfied than any other regional grouping.
The delivery of healthcare is perceived to be failing, with waiting times for referrals to hospital consultants and for non-emergency treatment of particular concern.
Views on funding are linked to support for equal access to a universal standard of care across the country. There is some support for increased taxation, if it is seen to lead to genuine improvements, perhaps indicating a hypothecated tax.
The use of Lottery money is the most popular option for increasing NHS resources, but would produce insignificant amounts in comparison to the NHS budget.
Introduction
Market & Opinion Research International (MORI) was commissioned by the BMA, as part of its review of healthcare funding, to survey public attitudes to the healthcare system and its funding.
Two surveys were conducted during May and June 2000. The first, qualitative, survey was based on structured group discussions by six focus groups drawn from a range of geographical, social and age backgrounds, in order to explore public perceptions and opinions in depth. The second, quantitative, survey, interviewed 2,014 adults across 153 constituency-based sampling points in Great Britain. Respondents were asked seven pre-set questions during face to face interviews in their own homes using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing), and data were weighted to reflect the national population profile. This paper summarises the results of the two surveys, in the context of the objectives of the review and the recent publication of the government’s National Plan for the NHS.