Are the British public risking their health to prop up the NHS?

The NHS is the hot topic of the British headlines, with talk of a deteriorating national health service taking centre stage at the heart of national political debate. The institution has a fierce and devoted protective public, who use the service at every stage of their lives. At the height of this ongoing public discussion; a recent survey by UK clinical negligence solicitors Your Legal Friend highlights how the public is handling the pressure on the beloved service. 2,000 NHS users were surveyed about their use of the NHS, particularly when it comes to chasing up expected follow up appointments. Of those surveyed, 80% admitted that they would wait a month before chasing an expected follow up appointment and that 9% would wait until they were contacted instead of pursuing an appointment. 86% of those asked stated a mindfulness of the pressures that the NHS is subject to, such as financial cuts or reduced investment. This concerning reaction put forward the idea that the UK is taking on the weight of the overstretched NHS, conceding their own wellbeing in an effort to tug the valued national service back from the brink. The NHS has a staggering £1.4 billion compensation budget this year, showing clearly that the NHS expects the price of condensed services; with the chances of patients being put in danger of mismanaged test results, skipped follow up appointments and other cases of neglect, borne out of reduced staffing or bad organisation. Notwithstanding the devotion to the services solicitors are preparing themselves for growing cases of negligence; as progressively privatised services have none of the faithfulness that the NHS has from the general public, whilst at the same time, few private services have accomplished as successful reputation with the public. The survey also established that almost 50% of 16-24 year olds would not see a substitute healthcare professional if their favoured person was unavailable; while that number was nearer to 30% for the over 55s. The younger of those surveyed were also much more likely to be impatient with NHS staff if administrative burdens caused a low standard of healthcare, with 46% of 16-24 year olds voicing this opinion. Just 35% of the over 55s who were asked, said the same. 40% of those surveyed stated that they would be impatient with staff if NHS pressures resulted in a lower standard of care. 28% of were certain that they wouldn’t protest about insufficient care from the NHS.