The British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey shows just how far satisfaction in the NHS has fallen – it is now at an all-time low of just 24%; in 2010 it stood at 70%. Figures for social care services were even worse – just 13% of respondents were satisfied with social care and 57% were very or quite dissatisfied.
Dissatisfaction was higher among respondents who had used or had contact with social care services (for either themselves or someone else) in the past 12 months at 64%, compared to those who had not (49%.)
The top reason for dissatisfaction with social care was pay, working conditions and training for social care workers not being adequate (57%), closely followed by people not getting all the social care they need (56%) and there not being enough support for unpaid carers (49%).
The BSA survey is viewed as a gold standard measure of public attitudes in Britain. The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust sponsor the health and social care questions of the National Centre for Social Research’s (NatCen) BSA survey.
Full article in The Lowdown, 30 March 2024