myTribe poll reveals only 7% of UK adults think the NHS is fine as it is

photo of women with a medical mask on in the nhs
Chris Steele
Founder and Insurance Expert

On the 20th of June 2023, the private healthcare experts myTribe Insurance Experts surveyed 2,344 UK adults in conjunction with YouGov to get their current thoughts about the NHS in the UK.

The survey found that only 7% of Brits think the NHS is "Fine as it is", with 84% saying change is needed and 4 in 5 admitting they are worried about the state of healthcare in the UK.

Graph showing the percentage of people across the UK that think the NHS needs to change broken down by country
Across all age groups, political leanings and genders, 80% or more people felt the NHS needs to change

The poll findings, released shortly before the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan, confirm that the British public wants change and improvements made to healthcare provision. 

Regardless of age, gender, region or political leaning, there was a consensus with at least 80% of people saying something needs to change. 

In the same poll, people were asked what their biggest worries were with the NHS, with waiting times for treatment topping the list, with close to 3 in 5 citing it as a concern. Second on the list of worries was access and waiting times to see an NHS GP, with half saying it bothered them.   

Graph showing results of poll in which people in the UK were asked how worried they are about healthcare provision in the UK
82% of adults in the UK are quite worried, or very worried about healthcare provision


However, despite the larger concerns and a desire for change, the poll found that only 1 in 20 people are worried about the expertise of staff working in the NHS. 

Top worries people have about healthcare in the UK:

List of most common worries about healthcare in the UK
List of most common worries about healthcare in the UK
Worries 1-13Top worries about healthcare in the UKPercentage of adults worried
1Waiting times for treatments via the NHS57%
2NHS GP waiting times / availability51%
3Staff shortages and staff pay in the NHS45%
4The privatisation of the NHS30%
5Access to mental health services on the NHS21%
6Availability of care for acute long-term conditions (e.g. Cancer)18%
7The provision of emergency medical care16%
8The rise of the private healthcare sector in the UK10%
9Ease of access to specialists, such as physios and dermatologists9%
10Availability of the most modern treatments on the NHS7%
11The cost of accessing private medical care5%
12Availability of medications on the NHS5%
13The expertise of staff working in the NHS5%
Source: YouGov Plc

Chris Steele, Editor of myTribe Insurance Experts, said:

This survey shows that the British public, regardless of political tendency, wants change to the NHS. It's fantastic to see the Long Term Workforce Plan being released in this past week. However, many will be wondering what is happening in the short term to improve access to healthcare. At myTribe, we're seeing a growing number of people come to us with questions about health insurance, and we know from our partners that more policies are being sold to people without cover than ever before. 

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2,344 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th - 21st June 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).

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November 19, 2025
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