About the report 

Every year the Patients Association hears from patients about their experience of the NHS. Behind every statistic in this report is a person, with a delayed diagnosis, a cancelled procedure or a medical appointment where nobody asked the patient what mattered. 

This survey was conducted in early 2026 with 807 patient respondents, providing evidence drawn from their experiences. It does so at a significant moment. The government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England, and more recently the NHS Modernisation Bill, commits to putting patient choice, voice, and feedback at the heart of how quality is defined and measured.  

>Read the report

>Download a PowerPoint summary

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Key findings 

• Three quarters (75%) said delays worsened their physical health 
• 74% said delays negatively affected their quality of life 
• 69% of patients were never asked what matters to them during their NHS care 
• Just 17% said their priorities were listened to and acted upon 
• More than half of respondents (57%) struggled to access both GP and hospital appointments 
• Only 41% felt like an equal partner in decisions about their care 
• Half of patients felt their care was poorly co-ordinated 

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What next  

The findings in this report tell a story that is both urgent and, in places, avoidable.  Patients are asking to be heard, to be kept informed, and to be treated as partners in their own care. 

The 10 Year Health Plan for England and NHS Modernisation Bill both set out the right ambitions. Shared decision-making, patient voice as a measure of quality, and a new relationship between the NHS and the people it serves. However, our report sets out an honest baseline against which progress must now be measured. Seven in ten patients were never asked what matters to them. Half felt their care was poorly co-ordinated. These are not marginal issues, but major systemic ones. 

>Read the report

>Download a PowerPoint summary