Published 25th March 2026

Responding to analysis of the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey by The King's Fund and the Nuffield Trust, Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said: 

"Findings from the 2025 British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey present a complex picture. A six point rise in overall satisfaction, the first increase since 2019, and a fall in dissatisfaction are encouraging.

"But behind that headline, the experience of being a patient has not significantly changed. Access remains a defining issue for patients. Difficulties getting a GP appointment, long waits in A&E, and ongoing problems with NHS dentistry continue to shape how people experience care. Too many patients still feel stuck: unable to get timely support or left waiting in uncertainty.  Behind these statistics are real people trying to access care they need. And for those who rely on social care the picture is even starker; satisfaction stands at just 14% with no sign of improvement.

"Concerningly, analysis of the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey by The King's Fund and the Nuffield Trust also finds that confidence in the future of NHS care has fallen to its lowest level, with fewer than one in six people believing standards will improve over the next five years. This lack of optimism really matters. The government’s 10-Year Health Plan places a strong emphasis on patient power and partnership, but that ambition will be difficult to realise if patients do not feel confident that the system will meet their needs. Trust is built through experience and the quality of care patients report has barely shifted from 51% to 50% in a year.

"Reforms must be felt by patients, not just seen in headline figures. That means faster access, addressing health inequalities, reducing waits, urgent action on social care, and working in genuine partnership to design care that meets their needs. Reforms will mean nothing unless patients can feel it in the care and treatment they receive, built around what matters to them."

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