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Public confidence in the NHS ‘ability to deal with the large numbers of people seriously ill from the coronavirus pandemic has fallen to its lowest level since the start of the epidemic, new polls show.
Only six in 10 believe the health service is able to properly care for people with Covid-19, of whom more than 37,000 are currently in hospital. This is the lowest percentage since pollsters Ipsos Mori began polling Britons on the subject in March.
The proportion of people who are not confident in the capabilities of the NHS has fallen to 35%, just 1% lower than the March peak of 36%.
Public confidence fell 12 points from 72% in November. This fall coincided with widespread media coverage of the growing crisis in hospitals. London and the south-east and east of England have been the most affected, with the new variant of the coronavirus being responsible for the increase in cases.
Graph of public confidence in the ability of the NHS to manage Covid
Ambulance lines have piled up outside many hospitals as A&E units are too busy to accept patients. Intensive care units have had to expand and dilute their usual nurse-patient staffing ratios. A hospital in the capital became so overwhelmed that it had to go into “disaster medicine mode”.
On Friday, it emerged that Norwich and Norfolk University Hospital was so understaffed that it had to recruit army medics to bolster its workforce. Hospitals have been left short of key staff due to record numbers of frontline staff – 15% in some places – sick or in isolation from the virus.
Confidence fell most sharply in London, where it now stands at 54%, according to Ipsos Mori. That’s down from 67% in November, and it’s less than the previous low – 55% – seen in March. Four in 10 Londoners say they are not confident in the NHS ‘ability to cope.
“The current situation the NHS is facing is incredibly serious and this has been reflected in the media over the past month,” said Chris Hopson, managing director of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts in England. It is therefore understandable that public confidence in the ability of the NHS to handle the pressure generated by Covid-19 has plummeted.
“The fact that confidence has fallen the most in London, where the pressure is greatest, shows that the two issues – the degree of pressure from the NHS and confidence in the ability of the NHS to handle that pressure – are completely linked.
“For months now, the public has faced the daily reports of incredibly ill patients, strained services and exhausted staff. This investigation reflects the enormous pressure the NHS is currently under. “
Ipsos Mori interviewed a representative sample of 1,065 UK adults between the ages of 18 and 75 online from January 8 to 11. Data were weighted to match the profile of the population.
“Public confidence in the NHS has fallen to its lowest point in the pandemic, driven by media coverage of hospitals under pressure,” said Ben Page, managing director of Ipsos Mori. “In a sense, this can be helpful in encouraging the public to maintain their social distancing, but the challenge will be to rebuild it after the pandemic, when waiting lists are likely to hit record levels.”
Confidence in the health service’s ability to cope is sharply divided among political parties. While 72% of those who voted Conservative in the 2019 general election said they were confident, only 56% of Labor voters said the same.
“As the pandemic recedes, we will have to see how public confidence in the NHS is more widely affected, once the realities of dramatically longer wait times and ongoing staff shortages take hold,” he said. said Richard Murray, chief executive of the King’s Fund think tank.
“This risk may not be as great as it seems for the NHS, as public pride and confidence in the NHS as an institution is generally high. The considerable efforts made by the NHS and its staff during the Covid crisis are well understood by the public and, just like in past crises, may lead them to look elsewhere for someone to blame – with the government usually at the top of the list , ” he added.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Affairs said: ‘The NHS is doing everything it can to respond to the biggest global health threat in a century, while ensuring that people of all ages can always access the services they need.
“We are determined to support the NHS in any way we can, investing £ 52bn this year and £ 20bn next year to help the health service tackle the coronavirus.
“The government is working hard to ensure that the NHS has sufficient capacity to meet increased demand and can continue to provide life-saving hospital care and services for those in need. “
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