Concerns about the availability of appointments and NHS systems are deterring some from getting GP care
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Belief that the NHS will be there for people when they need it has fallen considerably over the last 16 years in Britain, a new study has found.
Between 2008 and 2024, the share of Britons who agreed with this view declined from 82% to 66%. Around one in five (18%) people now feel the NHS won't be there for them when they need it - double the 9% who held this view in 2008.
The research, by the Policy Institute at King's College London, King's Business School and Ipsos, also looks at reported experiences of the health service, finding half the population say they've decided against seeing an NHS GP about a health condition in the last year.
Those who didn't contact their GP for various reasons - such as because they thought they wouldn't get through on the phone, waiting lists would be too long, or because they didn't think the NHS would provide good care - are even more likely to disagree the NHS will there for them when they need it.
These latest findings are based on data from a survey of 2,251 people aged 16-75 in Great Britain shortly before the election, between 21 and 24 June.
Half the population say they've decided against seeing a GP about a health condition in the last year…
50% of the British population say they had a health condition or issue in the last 12 months that they thought of contacting their GP practice about, but didn't.
Women (54%) are more likely than men (45%) to say they decided against contacting their GP about a condition, as are those aged 44 and below (59%) compared with older age groups (42%).
