§ Norman LambTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys of public perceptions of(a) his Department, (b) the NHS and (c) other areas of responsibility of the Department have taken place over the last 12 months; what the (i) title and (ii) nature of these surveys was; what the findings of each survey were; where these findings have been published; what the cost of all surveys was; and if he will make a statement and place copies of the surveys in the Library. [174338]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonFor the Department, we have not commissioned any surveys into public perceptions over the past 12 months.
The Department commissioned an opinion research agency, MORI, to carry out a survey into public perceptions of the national health service in winter 2003. The full report, called "Public perceptions of the NHS tracking survey", has been published on the MORI website and can be accessed through the Department's website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/ Published Survey/ListOfSurveySince 1990/fs/en
Copies have been placed in the Library.
Based on a relatively small national sample of 1,000 interviews, the results provide a useful check on public sentiment and patient experience to complement the much larger patient surveys undertaken by the former Commission for Health Improvement and its successor, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection. Results have been shared with NHS senior managers and stakeholders to inform policy objectives and business planning. These surveys show high levels of patient satisfaction with the NHS.
Since 2000, we have carried out six such surveys into public perceptions of the national health service at a total cost of £236,950 (plus VAT). This figure also includes a small amount of qualitative work carried out with the 2000 survey.
For other areas of responsibility, information on surveys into public perceptions of the Department's arm's length bodies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.