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Public faith in NHS remains stable, survey shows

Trust in NHS services remains stable, shows a new survey.

The NHS Alliance poll of nearly 2,000 UK adults – conducted by YouGov – showed 53% of respondents had not changed their level of trust in the NHS to look after them since the previous year, while 8% said they now trusted services more.

However, for one in five, trust had reduced over the course of the year.

The figures from the first NHS Alliance annual ‘temperature check’ polled respondents on their level of trust that politicians and the media portray NHS in a balanced way, with around nine-in-ten saying they did not.

The figures come after the Government – and especially health secretary Jeremy Hunt – came under fire for repeatedly portraying NHS services, and GPs in particular, in a bad light during 2013. It was also the year where the full details of the horrors that unfolded in the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal were unveiled with the publication of the Francis report.

But NHS Alliance chair Dr Michael Dixon urged doctors and the public not to put too much emphasis on the negative stories and instead shoulder responsibility for ensuring continued success of the service.

He said: ‘The NHS has been battered and bruised by both the media and politicians this year. In some cases rightly – we should never shy away from confronting care that lacks kindness or efficacy – but it’s too easy to let the negatives get in the way of the extraordinary positives of our health service. I am constantly amazed at the passionate and committed care I see delivered in the hearts of our communities and hospitals and am encouraged that our first annual temperature check shows I’m not alone in those feelings.’