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Member Survey During July we conducted a survey of members’ views on the NHS, at the point where dissatisfaction with the NHS was at its height 51 members responded.This is a summary of the results
Which of these issues are a problem in your area? Yes No Waiting times in casualty 37.3% (19) 62.7% (32) Access to Urgent Care 29.4% (15) 70.6% (36) Access to dentistry 68.6% (35) 31.4% (16) Quality of Service for Chronic Illness 58.8% (30) 41.2% (21) Community Services for elderly /disabled 74.5% (38) 25.5% (13) Services for BME communities 39.2% (20) 60.8% (31) Physical Access to Hospital services 27.5% (14) 72.5% (37) Social Care 70.6% (36) 29.4% (15) Services for Mentally Ill people 74.5% (38) 25.5% (13) Services for drug and alcohol misuse 51.0% (26) 49.0% (25) Sexual Health services 43.1% (22) 56.9% (29) Maternity Services 19.6% (10) 80.4% (41) Vaccination services 9.8% (5) 90.2% (46) Residential care for elderly people 72.5% (37) 27.5% (14) Early discharge of patients 39.2% (20) 60.8% (31) Delayed discharge of patients 49.0% (25) 51.0% (26)
What issue about the NHS nationally concerns you the most? 1. mental health the loss of in patient services. 2. That in the national conversation is focused around hospitals, and not health outcomes, particularly health inequalities. We will never begin to address health inequalities without shifting significant resources away from secondary care and into primary care. 3. The accountability of healthcare providers 4. That The Cleaning Should Be Taken Back In House. And The League Table Should Be Scrap. 5. PFI and use of private companies to provide health care 6. responsibility for long term care (particularly for frail, older people) having been taken out of mainstream NHS provision and split across social and health lines; the grotesque concept of charging such people for addressing their basic care needs 7. Racism Discrimination Not enough staff to patient ratio 9. prescriptions. I think far too much is given on prescription items such as aspirin paracetamol gluten free products even sun tan lotion etc. It seems once patients have free prescriptions they want everything on it. Who checks if they use the aspirins etc or pass them onto family and friends. 11. Health Inequalities Difference in outcomes based on geography, race, faith & culture, income, relative deprivation, gender etc - and the lack of progress over 10 years in tackling the issue 12. STAFF RESISTANCE TO CHANGE Lots of good ideas are blocked because of the resistance of professional staff or their organisations
13. GP SERVICES. Surgery hours not related to economically active. Preventative medicine only practised where direct monetary gain is involved. Lack of info on services available. Poor communication. Unhelpful and obstructive medical secretaries. Lack of confidential complaints or concerns raising procedure. 14. The constant reorganisation in an attempt to resolve problems that are inherent to emergent health problem that need stability or other political actions to address them. 15. Management of services at the point of delivery. Users of the NHS are not concerned with how the system is organised (internal markets) or even funded (PPI) behind the scenes. They are concerned with things they come into direct contact with: 1) badly organised surgeries so patients can only make an appointment on the day- often in a very brief period in the morning-, not in advance, yet there seems to be only one telephone line so communication is impossible. 2) Badly organised clinics in hospitals, with long waits with others who arrived later being seen first, never seeing the same doctor twice, conflicting views/information or just lack of information. Doctors who cannot communicate even the simplest information. 3) Rushed decisions about release from hospital, based on apparently inadequate information leaving patients (especially those living alone/ elderly) unsure and therefore unhappy. 4) Conditions which do not `fit into' standard group are often not dealt with quickly enough and get pushed around without resolution, and require much action on the part of patients. Many of these aspects require better management