Public satisfaction with the NHS improving - King's Fund

The think tank's British Social Attitudes survey found satisfaction with the NHS runs now stands at 61%, the third highest level since the survey began in 1983.

This follows a record fall in satisfaction, from 70% in 2010 to 58% in 2011, when the survey coincided with the first year in a four year NHS spending squeeze and sustained media coverage about the government's NHS reforms.

John Appleby, Chief Economist at The King's Fund, said: "With no real change in satisfaction with the NHS in 2012, this suggests the record fall in 2011 was not a blip and that the ground lost may take some time to recover."

Unlike in most previous years, satisfaction was consistent across the political spectrum, standing at 64% among Conservative and Labour supporters, and 63% among Liberal Democrats.

Satisfaction with A&E services increased from 54% to 59% while satisfaction with outpatient services (64%) and inpatient services (52%) showed no real change from 2011.

Satisfaction with social care services was only 30%, GPs 74% and dentists 56%.