Public calls for easier GP access as confidence in NHS remains fragile
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New polling from the Health Foundation and Ipsos reveals a sharp contrast between how people view their local NHS services and the health system overall. While almost half rated local care positively, confidence in the NHS nationally, and in social care, remains low. This reflects wider concerns captured in public perceptions research, which warns of a growing disconnect between people’s local experiences and their sense of the system nationally.
At the same time, the public’s top demand is clear: easier access to GP appointments. Almost four in ten respondents ranked it above reducing A&E waiting times, cutting hospital backlogs, or tackling wider staffing issues. More than 80% of people also expressed concern about the workload and workforce pressures facing GP practices.
While frustrations with the system are clear, support for the NHS’s core principles - universal, fair, and funded through taxation - remains firm. The task ahead is to bring policy priorities closer to public expectations, especially on access to care. At Best Practice Birmingham, sessions will focus on practical approaches to bridging that gap and strengthening trust in the service.
