Almost half of public willing to pay for better NHS services

Nine in 10 respondents to the poll said the NHS needs reform, which is more than the number who hold the same view on public education, the prison system or social care

Close to half of Britons would be willing to pay for better NHS services, according to a new opinion poll that reveals the scale of enthusiasm for health service reform.

In the Savanta poll for The Telegraph, around 40 per cent of respondents said they would be open to paying extra to have operations more quickly and get routine opticians’ check-ups and mental health appointments.

The pollster linked the public’s willingness to pay more to the state of the NHS, with waiting lists at record highs despite Rishi Sunak’s pledge to bring them down.

Nine in 10 respondents said the health service needed reform – more than the number holding the same view on public education, the prison system or social care. Half of all respondents wanted major reform.

The findings raised questions about how voters could react if a party proposed new charges for some NHS treatments.

Wes Streeting, Labour’s shadow health secretary, has talked about the need to radically reform the health service and wants to use private provision to ease waiting lists.

Some policy experts have argued that, because it created the NHS, Labour is best placed to drive through healthcare reform while keeping the public on side.

Chris Hopkins, the political research director at Savanta, said: “Public support for the NHS remains incredibly high, but our research suggests that the public’s perception of the state of the NHS is so bad that they appear to be willing to pay to receive a level of service that used to be more readily available.”

Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, has talked about the need to radically reform the NHS – Hugh Hastings/Getty Images

Some in Westminster have argued that the overwhelming public backing for the NHS has stymied discussions about fundamental reform, with ministers steering clear of proposing new forms of charging for services.

But the polling indicates that many voters could be more open-minded about paying for NHS treatment if that meant they got it more quickly.

One question in the poll of 2,200 UK adults, conducted last weekend, asked: “To what extent do you think you would be willing, or unwilling, to pay for each of the following?”

Of 10 services listed, only one saw a majority of people say they were willing to pay for quicker service – faster vaccinations for foreign travel.

Among the other services, around four in ten were open to paying for quicker treatment. That included 42 per cent of respondents willing to pay for quicker dental check-ups, 40 per cent for quicker major surgery, 39 per cent for quicker opticians’ check-ups, 38 per cent for quicker minor operations and 38 per cent for quicker mental health appointments.

Although one reason for the willingness could be NHS waiting lists, another could be that a large chunk of the population already effectively pays for healthcare via private health insurance, potentially shaping wider views on NHS services.

The poll also found an openness to paying higher tax in return for more NHS funding, despite the overall tax burden already heading for its highest level in 70 years.

Funding the NHS with a one percentage point rise in the top rate of income tax, basic rate of income tax or National Insurance rate were all backed by a majority of voters.

There was little discernible difference in the findings between Tory voters and Labour voters, suggesting the views are widely held irrespective of party affiliation.

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