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British patients more satisfied with NHS dental services

According to latest data, British patients are more satisfied with their NHS dentists than they used to be. (DTI/Photo courtesy of Kzenon/Shutterstock)

Mon. 25 June 2012

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LONDON – The improved access to NHS dental care appears to be reflected in British people’s opinion about dental services. While public satisfaction with the NHS generally fell in 2011, the dental sector’s image improved, according to the topline results from the British Social Attitudes survey published by The King’s Fund charity.

The annual survey, conducted by NatCen, a British centre for independent social research, asks a sample of the public about their views and feeling towards the NHS and health-care issues generally, among other issues. The 2011 survey entailed 3,311 face-to-face interviews, conducted with a representative, randomly selected sample of adults.

According to the results, public satisfaction with the way in which the NHS is run fell from 70 per cent in 2010 to 58 per cent in 2011. The drop is the largest since the survey was introduced in 1983 and follows a decade during which satisfaction with the NHS increased almost every year. Despite the fall, NHS satisfaction remains at its third highest level since the survey began.

Dental services bucked this trend, with satisfaction increasing for the third successive year, up from 51 per cent in 2010 to 56 per cent in 2011.

However, satisfaction with individual NHS services has generally fallen. Satisfaction with general practitioner services fell for the second consecutive year, dropping from 77 per cent in 2010 to 73 per cent in 2011. Satisfaction with hospital services also fell.

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