Public fear for NHS funding in the recession
pharmafile | June 29, 2009 | News story | |Â Â NHS, healthcareÂ
The public has grave fears over the future of NHS funding in light of the recession, according to a public opinion poll commissioned by the British Medical Association.
The survey found 77% of the public believe cuts should be made in other government departments in order to protect NHS funding, and when asked if taxes should increase to maintain the growth of NHS funding, 40% of individuals agreed.
BMA chairman of council Dr Hamish Meldrum said the results show how anxious the public is about the effects of the recession on the health service.
He said: "No-one wants to see any cuts in the public sector but our poll reveals just how much society values their health service. Fear often goes hand in hand with economic slumps, with people worrying what will happen to them and their families in times of ill health."
The poll follows a recent report from the NHS Confederation which said the health service faces the biggest financial challenge of its history – a likely £15 billion real-terms cut in the five years from 2011 – and will not survive the crisis unscathed.
Research firm Hamilton Lock, who conducted the poll for the BMA, interviewed a representative quota sample of 1,071 men and women across the UK during the week commencing 22 June.
Other results include:
* 77% of respondents said patients and the public should have a greater say in how the NHS delivers health services
* 73% believe there should be less political involvement in the way the NHS is organised and run
* 40% are not confident the government can safeguard the NHS in the current climate
* 95% do have confidence in doctors and nurses to safeguard the NHS in the current climate, with 30% saying they are very confident
The survey also showed that around nine out of ten respondents feared that services could be cut, and that waiting times for treatment could increase.
Meldrum added: "While we appreciate that the government needs to steer the country through this difficult economic period, we urge it not to do so at the expense of NHS funding. People always need good quality healthcare and it would be a huge mistake to try and make savings by squeezing the NHS."
Cutbacks inevitable
The poll arrives at a time when both the government and its opposition are reluctant to say whether and how they would cut back on the future NHS budget, even though a tightening of overall public spending seems inevitable to service the public debt that has mounted during the downturn.
Critics say if either the Labour or a future Conservative party do promise to ring fence NHS funding, cuts to other departments' spending would be huge.
Related stories:
Don't pick on medicines in health service downturn, says ABPI's Barker
June 18, 2009
NHS faces biggest financial challenge of its history
June 10, 2009
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