The long-term future of the NHS will likely be a key battleground in the run up to the general election.
Recent polling suggests that the founding principles of the service are still staunchly backed by the British public.
But satisfaction with the NHS has dipped to record lows, indicating that politicians will have to persuade voters that their party will be the most likely to improve care for patients.
The latest British Social Attitudes Survey – a long-running poll tracking the views of the public – found that only 24% of the public are satisfied with the NHS.
Despite low levels of public satisfaction, a large majority of the public still support the principles of the NHS as 82% say the NHS should be available to everyone, 91% said it should be free of charge and 82% say it should be primarily funded through taxation.
As well as enlisting public support, political parties will be mindful that a significant proportion of the population are employed by the NHS.
Recent industrial action across the service and polls of NHS staff suggest that many parts of the workforce – including some 1.5 million people in England alone – are not always satisfied with their employment.
In previous elections, health leaders have urged politicians from both sides of the House not to use the NHS as a political football.
Despite this plea, it is likely that manifestos will make a number of far-reaching promises on how each party intends to revitalise the service – likely to be accompanied by significant funding pledges.
The size of the waiting list will be top of voters’ minds as many will be on the list themselves or know someone who is.
Other considerations will include access to GP and dental care.
Cancer care and how quickly people are seen in A&E departments are also likely to be discussed as important topics over the coming weeks.
Yesterday, hundreds of people desperate for an NHS dentist appointment queued for hours when a new practice opened in Bristol.
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After 14 years of Tory decline, this is the Britain we live in today.
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Key figures in the race for the top job at the Department of Health and Social Care in England are current Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins and Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting.
Both have spoken about their own personal experiences in the service – Ms Atkins has described her care for type 1 diabetes and also expressed concern over the care she received around the time she had a baby while Mr Streeting has spoken with high praise for the care he received when he had kidney cancer.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who pledged to cut NHS waiting lists as one of his top priorities, has also spoken of how he grew up with two parents working in healthcare – his father an NHS GP and his mother a pharmacist.
After he made the pledge in January 2023, the waiting list continued to rise for a few months, hitting a record high in September 2023, since when it has shown a slight fall.
