A recent survey reveals that nearly half of the British public are hesitant to contact their GP when unwell, primarily due to fears over securing an appointment. This growing reluctance highlights a significant lack of confidence in the NHS, with many individuals opting to manage their ailments independently rather than risk further frustration in accessing care.
Alarmingly Low Engagement with GP Services
The findings from the Ipsos survey, commissioned by the Health Foundation think tank, disclose that 48% of respondents did not reach out to their family doctor during the past year when they felt ill. Out of those, over a quarter—27%—chose self-management or simply waited for their condition to improve, a decision that health professionals warn could lead to serious health repercussions.
This trend reflects deep-seated public anxiety regarding timely access to crucial NHS services, including General Practitioner (GP) appointments, Accident & Emergency (A&E) care, and ambulance services. The survey indicates that 30% of individuals do not anticipate receiving an appointment at a convenient time, while 17% believe contacting their GP practice would prove challenging.
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, chair of the Royal College of GPs, expressed her concern, stating, “General practice is the front door of the health service, and all patients should be able to see their GP when they need to. It is worrying to hear that some might be delaying or avoiding seeking care because they think getting an appointment will be difficult.”
A&E Access Concerns
Separate polling conducted by Savanta for the Liberal Democrats revealed that a third of Britons have refrained from visiting A&E in the last two years, despite requiring treatment, due to anticipated long wait times. This growing reluctance to seek immediate medical attention has raised alarms among health officials and politicians alike.
Helen Maguire, a health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, lamented the situation, saying, “Patients deserve so much better. It is heartbreaking to think of elderly people or parents with sick children sitting at home in pain because they have lost faith that the system will be there for them.”
Urgent Need for Policy Reassessment
The Health Foundation argues that these survey results should prompt a reevaluation of the government’s strategy to shift more healthcare services from hospitals to community settings, a key element of their ten-year NHS transformation plan. Persistent public concerns regarding access to GP and A&E services—the “front doors” of the NHS—indicate that policymakers must reconsider their priorities.
The Ipsos survey, which included responses from 2,214 adults in December, further highlights a pervasive sense of pessimism about the NHS. Only 32% of participants believe that the NHS provides a good service nationally, with 42% asserting the quality of care has declined over the past year. Alarmingly, 47% of respondents fear further deterioration in NHS services over the next twelve months, while only 15% anticipate improvement.
Government Response and Future Implications
As these troubling statistics come to light, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and his counterparts in Scotland and Wales may feel pressured by the fact that only 15% of the public believe their governments are implementing effective policies to rejuvenate the health service. A significant majority, 54%, hold the opposite view.
In response to these challenges, Streeting has unveiled a new GP contract detailing the types of care that family doctors in England will provide for the 2025-26 period. This contract mandates that GP practices attend to all patients with urgent medical needs on the same day they reach out, alongside the allocation of an additional £300 million to recruit 1,600 more doctors.
However, Dr Katie Bramall, chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, raised concerns about setting unrealistic expectations for same-day urgent care while simultaneously facing barriers around specialist referrals. She criticized Streeting for not negotiating the contract with the BMA, a practice that has historically been followed.
Why it Matters
These findings reflect a concerning trend that could have serious implications for public health. With many individuals reluctant to seek medical help, the potential for worsening health outcomes increases, ultimately placing additional strain on an already overburdened NHS. The government must address these barriers to care, restoring public trust in the system and ensuring that essential healthcare is accessible to all.
