A survey of 2,608 NHS health and social care workers in England reveals that four out of five respondents said that their organization had insufficient resources to meet its current patient needs.
Dods Research's The NHS in five years’ time – an investigative report also found that:
- Only 4% of staff said they were confident that the government’s £22 bn efficiency savings target would be met by 2020. Of the 46 chief executive level respondents who took part in the survey, none said they were confident that the savings would be made.
- 42% said that moving towards a seven-day NHS would have a positive effect on clinical services. However, even among supporters of the initiative there are concerns over the financial burdens in will place on services.
- Resource constrictions are having a very real impact on the UK health service. 50% said that financial constraints have had a significant effect on their role over the past year.
- A majority of respondents doubt that its goals will be realized by 2020 and are pessimistic about the leadership of the service and its long term prospects.
- NHS staff were negative about the future of the NHS as a whole, but more positive when asked to talk about the outlook for their own organization.
A copy of the report is available here.