A third of people believe that real cuts in NHS spending are on the way, irrespective of which political party comes to power in the next election. Only 23 per cent believe the NHS is currently on top of hospital cleanliness, with 62 per cent saying they are worried about catching an infection should they have to be admitted.
Only 20 per cent of respondents agree that the unprecedented levels of funding given to the NHS by the government has been money well spent, while 62 per cent of respondents feel that government pressure has made NHS staff more concerned with hitting targets than with the quality of patient care.
Despite a belief that the NHS is obsessed with targets, only 50 per cent of respondents think that the NHS is doing OK or well at hitting its target of ensuring cancer patients see a cancer specialist within two weeks of seeing their GP, while 53 per cent feel likewise about the target for patients who need an operation to get it within 18 weeks of seeing their GP.
Looking ahead to after the next general election, 33 per cent believe the NHS will experience real spending cuts. 30 per cent believe that more people will be topping up their NHS treatment with privately funded care and 22 per cent reckon there will be an increase in the number of people going abroad for privately funded care. But asked whether they thought the government would make employers do more to pay for workers’ medical care, only 17 per cent said yes.
