26 November 2004
The vast majority of patients in Scotland are satisfied with the service they receive from the NHS, though they are concerned that the public have little or no influence over the way it is run.
A survey by NOP on behalf of the Scottish Executive found that 90% of patients were very or fairly satisfied with the service.
The highest combined score was 93% for contact with practice nurses and with patients' own GPs. The lowest was 86% for outpatient services. No more than 10% of users were dissatisfied with any one service.
However, 86% of respondents thought the public should have at least some say over the running of the health service.
Health Minister Andy Kerr hailed the survey as pointing the way ahead for the NHS. He said he would be accelerating the roll-out of new patient-focused booking schemes.
In the survey, New ways of working, using nurses to deliver more care instead of GPs and more advice by telephone proved popular. But patients wanted more choice, more convenience, less waiting and more information.
Kerr said: 'I am pleased that the NHS is held in such high regard by the people it serves. But this also shows the need to accelerate new ways of working to make improvements. We have still got a lot of work to tackle waiting times, especially for outpatients.'
Kerr added: 'It is the needs and preferences of patients which must drive the development of the future NHS, not outdated commitments to particular ways of organising. We need to modernise, not fossilise.'
PFnov2004
