Consumer confidence in the NHS has nearly halved over the past year, according to a survey. Researc...
Consumer confidence in the NHS has nearly halved over the past year, according to a survey.
Research carried out by ICM Research on behalf of the Private Health Partnership showed only 25% of respondents were confident about the level of treatment the public health sector can provide.
This is a massive drop compared with the 42% confidence reported by the research company in January 2005.
The survey, which looks at the public's attitudes towards the NHS and medical insurance, revealed that longer NHS waiting lists and MRSA rates were the two main reasons people would look towards private health care instead of using the NHS.
Some consumers were also concerned about the effect a bird flu epidemic could have on the public health system.
However, despite the fact that the findings indicated a widespread mistrust in the NHS, the survey revealed that private health insurers have continued to fail to get their messages across about the value of private medical insurance (PMI).
It showed that 51% did not consider themselves knowledgeable about PMI.
Jan Lawson, managing director of the Private Health Partnership, believes education could help solve the lack of consumer confidence in the health sector as well as making people understand the importance of taking out PMI.
She said: "We believe much more needs to be done in this direction because, as the survey has shown, confidence levels need a boost in the worth of private medical insurance as well as the much-maligned NHS."
