Tag: Health and wellbeing

Over 1,500 extra GPs recruited ‘to fix front door of the NHS’

  • New figures show over 1,503 extra GPs have been hired through new scheme since 1 October
  • Major recruitment boost comes after government removed red tape which made it difficult for surgeries to hire doctors
  • Increased GP capacity will help fix the front door of the NHS and increase appointments to bring back the family doctor
  • Milestone builds on Plan for Change’s progress, which has delivered two million appointments seven months early, and cut waiting lists by 193,000

New figures show an extra 1,503 GPs have been recruited since 1 October – thanks to government action.

The recruitment boost, part of the government’s Plan for Change will help to end the scandal of patients struggling to see a doctor – easing pressure on GPs and cutting waiting lists. Alongside changes to the GP contract for 2025-26, these additional GPs will help end the 8am scramble for appointments which so many patients currently endure every day.

When the government came into office, unnecessary red tape was preventing practices from hiring newly qualified GPs, meaning more than 1,000 were due to graduate into unemployment. At the same time, there were also 1,399 fewer fully qualified GPs than a decade prior, showing how years of underfunding and neglect had eroded GP services.

The government cut the red tape and invested an extra £82 million to allow networks of practices to hire the GPs, with the funding continuing past this year thanks to the extra funding announced at the Budget.

People in communities across England will be more readily able to receive the timely care they deserve, helping to shift healthcare from hospitals to the community.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Rebuilding our broken NHS starts with fixing the front door. We inherited a ludicrous situation where patients couldn’t get a GP appointment, while GPs couldn’t get a job. By cutting red tape and investing more in our NHS, we have put an extra 1,503 GPs into general practice to deliver more appointments.

“The extra investment and reforms we have made will allow patients to book appointments more easily, to help bring back the family doctor and end the 8am scramble.

“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took to increase employer National Insurance that we are able to recruit more GPs and deliver better services for patients. The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.”

Dr Amanda Doyle, National Director for Primary Care and Community Services, said: “I would like to thank the general practice teams that have employed significantly more than the 1,000 extra GPs promised to provide care for patients.

“Improving access to general practice is an NHS priority and GP teams are delivering 29 million appointments every month – up a fifth since before the pandemic.  

“But we have more to do to make it easier for patients to see their local GP, so practice teams should continue to use this funding to best effect by recruiting more GPs, so more patients can be seen more quickly.”

The recruitment of an additional 1,503 GPs was made possible by the ‘tough but fair’ decisions the Chancellor took at the Budget to fix the foundations of the NHS, enabling the government to provide almost £26 billion to get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future.

Thanks to these decisions, the government has already delivered over two million extra appointments since July, meeting its target seven months early, and brought the waiting list down by 193,000.

Last year, the department added GPs to the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) and provided extra funding, meaning that GPs could be recruited more quickly by primary care networks (PCNs).

The government has since provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million on top of the existing budget for general practice in 2025-26.

The investment comes alongside new reforms to modernise general practice. GP surgeries must now allow patients to request appointments online throughout working hours from October, freeing up the phones for those who want to book over the phone, and making it easier for practices to triage patients based on medical need. More patients will also be able to book appointments with their regular doctor if they choose to, to bring back the family doctor.

Cutting waiting times and improving access to health care for patients is one of the government’s top priorities in its Plan for Change which is driving forward reform of the health service to rebuild our NHS and improve living standards, which are growing at their fastest rate in two years.

Men With Pens

NEW PROJECT AT GRANTON LIBRARY

Men With Pens is a series of creative writing and letter writing workshops for men living with mental health conditions. 

Working with groups in Perth and Edinburgh. Each participant will be paired anonymously with a participant from the other group.  The men will be encouraged to write letters, creating pen pals, to discuss their mental health. 

We will also work together, using reading and creative writing as a tool for maintaining well-being. 

The workshops will be led by Ross MacKay, an award-winning writer with lived experience of his own mental health conditions. 

Monthly Wednesday evening sessions at Granton Library on:

14th May – 5.30-7.30 

11th June – 5.30-7.30 

9th July – 5.30-7.30 

6th August – 5.30-7.30 

7th August – Evening Celebration at Edinburgh International Book Festival 

To book a free place, please email menlibraryproject@gmail.com

Suitable for men aged 16+.

World Health Day: 7th April

World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April 2025, kicks off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.

The campaign, titled Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures, will urge governments and the health community to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and to prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

WHO and partners will also share useful information to support healthy pregnancies and births, and better postnatal health.

Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive

This task is critical. Tragically, based on currently published estimates, close to 300 000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over 2 million babies die in their first month of life and around 2 million more are stillborn. That’s roughly 1 preventable death every 7 seconds.

Based on current trends, a staggering 4 out of 5 countries are off track to meet targets for improving maternal survival by 2030. 1 in 3 will fail to meet targets for reducing newborn deaths.

Listening to women and supporting families

Women and families everywhere need high quality care that supports them physically and emotionally, before, during and after birth.

Health systems must evolve to manage the many health issues that impact maternal and newborn health. These not only include direct obstetric complications but also mental health conditions, noncommunicable diseases and family planning.

Aid cuts threaten fragile progress in ending maternal deaths, UN agencies warn

Countries must recommit to ending deaths in childbirth amid major headwinds

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Women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth according to a major new report released today, but United Nations (UN) agencies highlight the threat of major backsliding as unprecedented aid cuts take effect around the world.

Released on World Health Day, the UN report, Trends in maternal mortality, shows a 40% global decline in maternal deaths between 2000 and 2023 – largely due to improved access to essential health services. Still, the report reveals that the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and that an estimated 260 000 women died in 2023 as a result of complications from pregnancy or childbirth – roughly equivalent to one maternal death every two minutes.

The report comes as humanitarian funding cuts are having severe impacts on essential health care in many parts of the world, forcing countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health. These cuts have led to facility closures and loss of health workers, while also disrupting supply chains for lifesaving supplies and medicines such as treatments for haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and malaria – all leading causes of maternal deaths.

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Without urgent action, the agencies warn that pregnant women in multiple countries will face severe repercussions – particularly those in humanitarian settings where maternal deaths are already alarmingly high.

“While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls – factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”

The report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival. In 2021, an estimated 40 000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth – increasing to 322 000 from 282 000 the previous year. This upsurge was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19, but also widespread interruptions to maternity services. This highlights the importance of ensuring such care during pandemics and other emergencies, noting that pregnant women need reliable access to routine services and checks as well as round-the-clock urgent care.

“When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Global funding cuts to health services are putting more pregnant women at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, by limiting their access to essential care during pregnancy and the support they need when giving birth. The world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive.”

The report highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress. With maternal mortality declining by around 40% between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains – and was one of just three UN regions alongside Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia, to see significant drops after 2015. However, confronting high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts, the sub-Saharan Africa region still counted for approximately 70% of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023.

Indicating slowing progress, maternal mortality stagnated in five regions after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege, and we all share the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and newborn,” said Dr Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director. “By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies.”

Pregnant women living in humanitarian emergencies face some of the highest risks globally, according to the report.Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by fragility or conflict.

For women in these settings, the risks are staggering: a 15-year-old girl faces a 1 in 51 risk of dying from a maternal cause at some point over her lifetime compared to 1 in 593 in more stable countries.

The highest risks are in Chad and the Central African Republic (1 in 24), followed by Nigeria (1 in 25), Somalia (1 in 30), and Afghanistan (1 in 40).

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Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the report notes the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services, as well as preventing underlying health conditions like anaemias, malaria and noncommunicable diseases that increase risks. It will also be critical to ensure girls stay in school and that women and girls have the knowledge and resources to protect their health.

Urgent investment is needed to prevent maternal deaths. The world is currently off-track to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal target for maternal survival. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio would need to fall by around 15% each year to meet the 2030 target – significantly increasing from current annual rates of decline of around 1.5%.

Letters: Versus Arthritis calls for clarity over waiting time targets

Dear Editor

While we welcome the publication of the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan (1st April 2025), we need greater clarity as to how the government is going to meet its target of no one waiting for over 52 weeks by this time next year.

Orthopaedics – mostly hip and knee surgery – accounts for a third of all NHS waits for treatment in Scotland. The latest figures show 12,000 waits of over a year for orthopaedic surgery. In each of the last two years, this figure has come down by an average of 4 per cent. The government is now promising to make that 100 per cent. This is welcome, but we are wary.

Surgeries such as joint replacements can be transformative, allowing people with arthritis to get back to regular life, while at the same time stopping a decline in their physical and mental health.

The public, including those with arthritis, has lost confidence in how waiting times are being tackled – multiple commitments simply haven’t been met – and unless this latest promise is delivered in full, the only 0 per cent we’ll be looking at is trust in the government.

We fully expect the Scottish Government to keep this promise to the millions of people living with arthritis and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in Scotland and will continue to hold them to account regarding this.

Alan McGinley

Policy & Engagement Manager

Versus Arthritis Scotland

199 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Scotland, G2 3EX

Telephone: 0141 401 0351

Healthy Heart Tip: How to eat a healthy balanced diet

Is there a secret formula for maintaining a truly balanced diet? With the constant influx of conflicting advice and trendy diets, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist and Lauren Hewitt, Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK simplify the concept of a healthy, balanced diet and offer practical advice on how to achieve it:

What is a balanced diet?

We often hear the terms “balance” and “moderation” when discussing healthy eating, yet many of us struggle to find that sweet spot.

A healthy balanced diet is one that includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods in the right proportions, providing the body with essential macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals to support overall health, energy, and wellbeing. It emphasises moderation, variety and portion control to maintain long-term health and prevent disease.

What are macro and micronutrients?

When it comes to eating healthy, understanding the role of nutrients in our diet can help us make informed choices about what we put on our plates.

There are different categories of macronutrients. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and are the building blocks of our diet. They provide us with the energy to fuel our daily activities, support growth, and keep our bodies functioning properly.

Lauren Hewitt, a Registered Associate Nutritionist at Heart Research UK, explains: “Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body and are most associated with foods like pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, and cereal. But they are also found in other foods such as fruits and vegetables and sugar-sweetened foods and drinks such as cookies and fizzy drinks.

“There are two types of carbohydrates – simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates generally include refined, ‘white’ food like white bread, pasta and rice; these break down quickly into energy.

“Complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of your intake as they release energy more slowly and these include wholegrains like brown rice and wholewheat bread, beans, lentils and vegetables.

“Fats are the body’s second source of energy, and these are used up when we have depleted our carbohydrate stores or when we are consuming a very low-carbohydrate diet.

“Consuming fat is essential, without fats you wouldn’t be able to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K, which are fat soluble and can only be digested when there is fat present. Fats also provide essential fatty acids that the body can’t make itself; these help your body to regulate the immune and central nervous systems as well as help with skin health, brain function and heart health.

“Choose heart-healthy fat sources such as those coming from nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocados and olive oil.

Lauren continues: “Protein is the body’s last resort for energy, used when carbohydrate and fat stores are depleted. While it’s best known for helping repair and rebuild muscle after exercise, it also supports overall health.

Protein is essential for the growth and maintenance of tissues, keeping bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and skin strong and healthy. It supports the immune system by forming antibodies to fight infections and helps keep you feeling fuller for longer.

“Healthy, high-protein foods include lean meats, fish, eggs and reduced-fat dairy. We can also obtain protein from plant-based sources like chickpeas, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds and tofu. It’s a good idea to include both animal and plant-based options.”

Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals and are needed in smaller amounts than macronutrients, but they are just as important for maintaining overall health, supporting immune function, bone health, energy production, cognitive health and much more. The key to ensuring we consume enough micronutrients is to eat a variety of foods.

How can you achieve a balanced diet?

Eating a varied diet full of different colours can ensure nutrient diversity. Try to include all the colours of the rainbow over the course of each week.

Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, said: “It’s important to understand that we don’t need to cut entire food groups from our diet to eat well and be healthy. All foods can be enjoyed in appropriate amounts, and we should avoid extreme diets that vilify certain foods or whole food groups.

“Eating healthily doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the foods you enjoy, it just means that you should aim to eat everything in moderation.

“By swapping some of your unhealthier choices for healthier ones, you can still enjoy tasty food and keep your heart healthy. You should start by making one or two swaps, and once these become part of your routine then add in a few more. By doing this gradually, you’re more likely to stick to it, form a new healthy eating habit, and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle goals.”

You can swap to lower sugar versions of your sauces to get started, or you can swap from white bread, pasta, cereal, and rice to wholegrain varieties. Take a look at our Healthy Food Swap Cards for some inspiration.

Even if the food we are eating is healthy, we can still eat too much. We’ve created a handy Portion Size Guide to help you understand what healthy portion sizes look like

Mindful eating follows on nicely from the one above. Slowing down and paying attention to our hunger cues can help us avoid overeating and make better food choices.

What does a healthy meal look like?

Building a healthy plate is a simple way to ensure you’re getting the right balance of nutrients. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Fill half your plate with vegetables such as leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts and mushrooms.
  2. Fill a quarter of your plate with healthy proteins like chicken, turkey, fish, tofu and legumes like lentils, chickpeas and beans.
  3. Fill a quarter of your plate with wholegrain carbohydrates such as brown or wild rice, wholewheat pasta, quinoa and buckwheat and/or starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, sweetcorn, peas, butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, beets and parsnips.
  4. Include a small portion of healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, or nuts.

Achieving a balanced diet is a gradual process and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Experiment with different foods to see what works best for your lifestyle, and remember that small, consistent changes lead to lasting results.

14 Years of FREE Prescriptions under the SNP Government

14,520,670 PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED BY NHS LOTHIAN LAST YEAR – SAVING HOUSEHOLDS AN AVERAGE OF OVER £400

On the 14th anniversary of prescription charges being scrapped by the SNP Scottish Government, Gordon Macdonald MSP has highlighted that the policy saves the average household in Scotland over £400 a year.

Latest figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) show that over 113 million prescriptions, including 14,520,670 by NHS Lothian, were dispensed in Scotland in 2023/24 – meaning that on average people in Scotland received 20.8 prescriptions.

This means that based on the £9.90 charge currently in place in England, the average household in Scotland saved £436.72 in 2023/24 thanks to the policy.

In one of his first acts as Scottish Tory leader, Russell Findlay outlined his plans to re-introduce charges if he ever came to power – a move which would cost each person £206 per year on average. 

A report by Trussell Trust last year showed that in England, 68% of working households receiving Universal Credit have gone without essentials such as prescription medication due to the costs involved. 

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “The SNP is proud to have abolished prescription charges in Scotland, ensuring that everyone in Edinburgh has access to the medication they require based on their needs rather than the ability to pay.

“The SNP believe that healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone. The prescription charges, which Russell Findlay plans to re-introduce, were nothing more than a tax on ill health.

“In the face of soaring energy bills, despite Labour’s promise to bring them down, people across the city are still living through a cost-of-living crisis – making it more important than ever that they can access the medical treatment they need without worrying about the cost.

”With Labour continuing to hint at an increased level of private healthcare involvement in the NHS, only the SNP can be trusted to put the people of Edinburgh first and protect them from having to pay for their vital medication.” 

Dispensing NHS Board Prescriptions items dispensed (total)
  
   
NHS Scotland 114,358,700
   
NHS Ayrshire and Arran 9,172,880
NHS Borders 2,615,030
NHS Dumfries & Galloway 4,062,010
NHS Fife 7,785,890
NHS Forth Valley 6,421,780
NHS Grampian 10,606,210
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 26,355,740
NHS Highland 6,971,860
NHS Lanarkshire 15,807,560
NHS Lothian 14,520,670
NHS Orkney 410,830
NHS Shetland 569,610
NHS Tayside 8,356,630
NHS Western Isles 702,020

Startling collapse in NHS satisfaction since pandemic, with just 1 in 5 satisfied

RCEM: ‘The public has recognised tackling A&E waiting times is a priority – it’s time the government did the same’

The British public are deeply unhappy with the National Health Service – just 1 in 5 people (21%) in 2024 said they were satisfied with the way the NHS runs. That’s according to analysis of the latest British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) published today by the Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund. Satisfaction has plummeted by 39 percentage points since the months before the pandemic.

6 in 10 people (59%) said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied with the NHS in 2024, a sharp rise from 52% in 2023. This is the highest level of dissatisfaction with the health service since the survey began in 1983. The survey, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) in September and October 2024, is seen as a gold-standard measure of public attitudes in Britain.[3]

The Nuffield Trust and The King’s Fund say that just 12% of people were satisfied with A&E waiting times and 23% with GP waiting times. People are unhappy about waiting times even if they are satisfied with the NHS overall, regardless of age, political affiliation or nation.

NHS staffing and spending are also worrying the public. Only 11% agreed that “there are enough staff in the NHS these days”. While a strong majority (69%) said the government spends too little or far too little on the NHS, only 14% agreed that “The NHS spends the money it has efficiently”. 

If forced to choose, the public would narrowly opt for increasing taxes and raising NHS spending (46%) over keeping them the same (41%). Only 8% would prefer tax reductions and lower NHS spending.

Despite low satisfaction with services, there remains strong majority support for the founding principles of the NHS: that it should “definitely or probably” be free at the point of use (90%), available to everyone (77%), and funded from general taxation (80%). However, the percentage of people saying that the NHS should “definitely” be available to everyone has decreased from 67% in 2023 to 56% in 2024. 
 
Other findings from Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024 include:

  • There is a divide between generations, with satisfaction lower and falling in younger age groups. While the proportion of people who were satisfied rose slightly between 2023 and 2024 for those aged 65+ from 25% to 27%, among those under 65 it fell significantly from 24% to 19%.
  • A significantly higher proportion of people in Wales (72%) were dissatisfied with the NHS compared to 59% in England and 60% in Scotland (the difference between England and Scotland is not statistically significant).
  • Public views of A&E services have worsened dramatically, with satisfaction falling from 31% to just 19%, and dissatisfaction rising from 37% to 52%. These are the worst figures on record by a large margin and make A&E the service with the lowest satisfaction levels for the first time.
  • Satisfaction with GP services continued to fall, mirroring the trend over the last few years, with 31% of members of the British public satisfied with GP services, compared with 34% in 2023.
  • Satisfaction with NHS dentistry has continued to collapse. As recently as 2019 this was at 60%, but it has now fallen to a record low of 20%. Dissatisfaction levels (55%) are the highest for any NHS service asked about.
  • Inpatient and outpatient hospital care remains the part of the NHS with the highest levels of satisfaction, with 32% satisfied and only 28% dissatisfied.
  • Satisfaction with social care remains worryingly low. In 2024, only 13% of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with social care. 53% of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied.   

For the first time, people who support the Reform party have been included as a separate category in the analysis instead of being part of the ‘other parties’ group, to reflect the party’s increased share of the election vote. Supporters of the Reform party were less likely to be satisfied with the NHS (13%) than supporters of the other main parties. They are also less likely to believe in the founding principles of the NHS.  
 
Report author Bea Taylor, Fellow at The Nuffield Trust said: “Just five years after the British public were called on to “Protect the NHS” at the start of the pandemic, these findings reveal just how dismayed they are about the state of the NHS today. We found that every group in Britain is dissatisfied with access to vital services such as A&E and GP appointments.

“The government says the NHS is broken, and the public agree. But support for the core principles of the NHS – free at the point of use, available to all and funded by taxation – endures despite the collapse in satisfaction. Harnessing this support and fixing the foundations of the NHS must be central to the government’s forthcoming reform programme.” 

Dan Wellings, Senior Fellow at The King’s Fund said: “The latest results lay bare the extent of the problems faced by the NHS and the size of the challenge for the government. While the results are sobering, they should not be surprising. For too many people the NHS has become difficult to access: how can you be satisfied with a service you can’t get into? 

“In 2010, seven out of ten people were satisfied with the NHS – it is now down to only one in five. The scale of the decline over the last few years has been dramatic. The results show that people do not want a different funding model, but they do want the NHS to start working for them again and they want it to have the staff and the money it needs to ensure that happens. The public are also clear that the NHS needs to get better at spending the money it does get more efficiently.

“The government’s focus on bringing down hospital waiting lists may address one area of the public’s concerns, but this year’s BSA shows that all areas are flashing red, particularly A&E. Voters are impatient for change, and Ministers will need to demonstrate rapid improvement, but that should not come at the cost  of the bigger, whole-system reforms that are needed to create a truly sustainable health service. These results will form the baseline from which the new Labour government’s reform plans to ‘fix’ the NHS will be judged.” 

In an accompanying foreword to the report, Nuffield Trust and King’s Fund Chief Executives Thea Stein and Sarah Woolnough say: “The government now finds itself walking a fine line between meeting public demands for rapid improvements on waiting times and avoiding the pitfall of throwing more money – of which there is virtually none – at a system in need of deeper reform.” 

The Chief Executives argue that ministers will need to meet public demand for improving A&E, GP appointments and dental care, but they should not lose sight of the much bigger prize of longer-term, sustainable reform focused around shifting care from hospital and moving the NHS from a sickness to a health service.

Politicians must make addressing the Emergency Care crisis a political priority as new research reveals that public satisfaction in A&E services has reached an all-time low.

That’s the call from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and comes as the findings of the latest British Social Attitudes survey (BSA) Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024 have been published today (2 April 2025) showing satisfaction with A&E services has plummeted.

The survey, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) from 16 September to 27 October 2024 for The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust, asked 2,945 people across England, Scotland and Wales, for their thoughts on the NHS and adult social care services.

It also questioned 933 people about their satisfaction with specific NHS services, as well as their views on NHS priorities, principles and funding. 

The research – which has been carried out every year since 1983 – found:

  • More than half (52%) of respondents were dissatisfied with NHS A&E services – the highest on record – up 15% from 37% in 2023. Those who were satisfied stood at 19% – a fall from 31% the previous year.
  • 69% of people were very or quite dissatisfied with the length of time it took to be seen in A&E
  • The most important priorities cited by respondents for the NHS included ‘improving waiting times in A&E (49%), which was considered the second most important – behind access to GPs but ahead of elective care waiting lists.

RCEM President, Dr Adrian Boyle, said: “This annual survey is a barometer of public feeling and people – voters – have given their verdict loudly and clearly.

“The public aren’t daft and can see what is happening in our Emergency Departments. I worry that this situation stops people attending when they should.

“But it is hardly surprising when the message from the Westminster government is that the health service is broken. If that is their assessment, they must get on with the job of fixing it. And it is fixable.

“The public has stated that, behind GPs, the service they most want prioritised is A&E, but we only ever hear about what has been done to improve elective waiting times.

“The public has identified A&E as a priority. It is time the government did the same.”

The survey also revealed:

  • In 2024, just one in five British adults (21%) were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with the way in which the NHS runs. This is the lowest level of satisfaction recorded since the survey began.
  • Only 13% of respondents said they were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with social care (the same figure as 2023). 53% of respondents were ‘very’ or ‘quite’ dissatisfied
  • Satisfaction with GP services continued to fall, mirroring the trend over the last few years. 31% of respondents said they were satisfied with GP services, compared with 34% in 2023
  • 62% were very or quite dissatisfied with the length of time it takes to get a GP appointment, and 65% for the length of time it takes to get hospital care.
  • Most (44%) believe the government is spending too little money on the NHS
  • More than 75% continue to support the founding principles of the NHS, with little sign of change compared to the previous year. However, the proportion ‘definitely’ agreeing that it should be available to everyone fell significantly from 67% to 56%.

The BSA follows a survey by Ipsos Mori conducted in February 2025 which revealed that almost 80% of people polled would avoid attending an A&E because they were worried about ending up waiting for hours on a trolley in a corridor.  

Public satisfaction with the NHS and social care in 2024_WEB (4)Download

VPZ launches Youth Vaping Awareness Campaign at The Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh based VPZ recently took the streets surrounding Holyrood in a youth vaping awareness campaign to highlight concerns around super-size disposable vapes in the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

A specially designed trailer sat outside the Scottish Parliament to shed light on the alarming rise of illicit ‘Big Puff’ vapes and its impact on youth vaping.

Alongside the trailer’s journey, there was a gathering of 20 that supported the campaign cause and raised awareness on the importance of the ban on those illicit devices.

The trailer featured two striking 1-tonne containers, one filled with legal 2ml vapes (35000 units) and the other packed with illicit, super-size disposable vapes (9000 units), showcasing the stark visual representation of the challenges the industry and policymakers could face if appropriate measures are not taken.

So-called ‘Big Puff’ vapes exploit a loophole in the vaping law that allows the sale of devices with greater liquid capacity than the legislated 2 ml.

By utilising an external plug-in tank of 10 ml, these vaping units effectively become a 12 ml product, which is 6 times more than the allowed vaping liquid in a disposable device. New devices are being approved by the MHRA weekly, some with more capacity than 12ml.

Despite being considered rechargeable, the super-size vape products are made with a low-quality battery, and an unchangeable coil which effectively makes them single use.

Greig Fowler, Director of VPZ – The Vaping Specialist, said: “We hope that our campaign has  served as a wake-up call to policymakers and the public, as it’s crucial that MPs act now to address the dangers of these super-sized disposables before the UK finds itself in the midst of another youth and environmental crisis.

“VPZ is taking a stand against the dangers posed by the unregulated vaping products that threaten to undermine the forthcoming disposable ban in June. Our mission is to highlight the urgent need for action and collaboration to tackle these arising issues to the public.

“Dr Caroline Johnson outlined amendment NC9 which would bring this area into check, however, that was discussed and rejected following a vote. The problem needs addressed now and not in 12-18 months’ time when the Bill is passed.

“If we fail to respond decisively now, we risk further harm to young people, an environmental disaster, and undermining vaping’s role as a smoking cessation tool, which has helped millions to quit smoking.

“We must work together to strike the right balance, protecting smokers and ex-smokers while preventing further damage to public health and the environment.”

VPZ strongly supports most of the Tobacco & Vapes Bill measures to tackle youth access, including restriction of naming, packaging, and marketing.

However, VPZ believes that there should be a balanced regulatory approach to protect adult smokers looking to quit while effectively cracking down on illicit and unregulated products in order for the UK to reach its 2030 Smoke-Free goals.

VPZ has previously warned adult vapers that the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill could restrict some the favourite flavours that helped them quit smoking, potentially affecting around 3 million vapers and ex-smokers if passed.

VPZ has over 185 stores in the UK and has helped over 1 million smokers quit since it was established in 2012.

Eligible people urged to take up COVID-19 vaccine this spring

Public Health Scotland (PHS) is encouraging everyone offered a COVID-19 vaccine this spring to come forward, get vaccinated and stay protected – because COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared.

Last summer in Scotland, there were more than 10,000 reported cases of COVID-19 and over 4,000 people hospitalised.

This year’s spring vaccination programme is focused on protecting those most vulnerable to COVID-19. This includes older adults in care homes, people aged 75 and over, and those with a weakened immune system, as they are at greater risk of illness from COVID-19.

If you’re invited for a COVID-19 vaccination this spring, it’s because experts know that your age or health condition mean you’re at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

Dr Sam Ghebrehewet, Head of Immunisation and Vaccination at PHS, said:
“Being vaccinated is the safest and most effective way for older people and those with certain underlying conditions to protect themselves against COVID-19.

“You get your strongest protection from the vaccine in the first three months after getting it. Over time, this protection gradually fades so, even if you had your winter vaccination, it’s important to get another dose this spring to reinforce your immunity and help keep you safe.

“Getting vaccinated could mean the difference between a mild illness and a hospital stay.”

The spring vaccination programme runs from 31 March until 30 June. If you’re eligible, you’ll be invited by letter, email or text message, depending on your selected communication preference.

You can reschedule your appointment using the online portal or via the National Vaccination Helpline (0800 030 8013).

Find more information on the spring programme at: 

www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccine