New poll shows Brits would rather a working NHS than free healthcare

Brits would prioritise a working NHS with access to a GP and high quality treatment for life-threatening illnesses than free healthcare for all, a new report reveals.

Research by the think tank Policy Exchange shows a shift away from the current NHS free-to-use model, with improved access now being the public priority.

The shocking new data comes as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled “radical” plans to reform the NHS on Monday (January 7).

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “We inherited record long waiting lists, impacting patients’ lives and their livelihoods. Only the combination of investment and radical reform can turn this around, as we’re setting out today.”

NHS England’s Elective Reform Plan outlines the first steps to achieving the government’s target of having 92% of patients seen for elective treatment within 18 weeks of referral by the end of the current parliament.

It sets out numerous changes, including new community diagnostic centres and 17 new surgical hubs set to be opened in England by June 2025.

However, Policy Exchange said their poll shows the focus should be on improving access to family doctors and dentists, with Brits opting to shift away from the current cost-free NHS model.

The think tank asked participants across the UK to fill in a survey picking their top three priorities for the NHS from a list of options.

The biggest priority was improving access to GPs, with 61% choosing this. 44% said it provided “good treatment for life-threatening diseases, such as cancer”.

At just 41%, less than half of the people surveyed believe that offering “all its services free at the point of use” should be a priority for the NHS. This figure falls to a third among young adults aged 18-34.

Fewer than 10% of participants said that helping “people live healthier lifestyles, such as by helping people to stop smoking” should be a priority.

For the main improvements Brits wish to see in the NHS, shorter waiting times for operations came out on top, with 56% picking the options. Making it easier to see a family doctor scored 48% in second place, with better access to NHS dentists in third with 43%.

John Power, co-author of the Portrait of Modern Britain: Health report and a senior fellow in health and care at Policy Exchange, told the Telegraph: “Our polling reveals the public are open to trade-offs on NHS reform, with improved performance of core services more important than all services being free at the point of use.

“The crisis in NHS dentistry has cut through to the public, and the case for major reforms is clear – as are reforms to clamp down on health tourism, which is regarded as an issue across the political spectrum.”