1005 responses from medical doctors registered with the General Medical Council

Results

1. What do you feel was the general standard of patient care in the NHS when the present Government came to power in 1997?

Response (q1087)	N	%
Very good	26	2.6
Good	391	38.9
Neither good nor poor	380	37.8
Poor	181	18.0
Very poor	15	1.5
No view	12	1.2

Total responses - 1005

2. How was your overall morale when the present Government came to power?

Response (q1088)	N	%
Very good	30	3.0
Good	314	31.2
Neither good nor poor	311	30.9
Poor	282	28.1
Very poor	57	5.7
No view	11	1.1

Total responses - 1005

3. What do you feel is the present general standard of patient care in the NHS?

Response (q1089)	N	%
Very good	17	1.7
Good	286	28.5
Neither good nor poor	335	33.3
Poor	280	27.9
Very poor	86	8.6
No view	1	0.1

Total responses - 1005

4. How is your overall morale at present?

Response (q1090)	N	%
Very good	13	1.3
Good	139	13.8
Neither good nor poor	203	20.2
Poor	377	37.5
Very poor	269	26.8
No view	4	0.4

Total responses - 1005

5. What do you feel will be the likely effect of the Government’s current plans for the NHS on general standards of patient care?

Response (q1091)	N	%
Significant improvement	26	2.6
Some improvement	294	29.3
No difference	387	38.5
Some deteration	184	18.3
Significant deterioration	105	10.4
No view	9	0.9

Total responses - 1005

6. What do you feel will be the likely effect on your general morale of the Government’s current plans for the NHS?

Response (q1092)	N	%
Significant improvement	11	1.11
Some improvement	131	13.0
No difference	262	26.1
Some deteration	297	29.6
Significant deterioration	292	29.1
No view	12	1.2

Total responses - 1005

7. In your view, which political party seems to have the best policy for improvement of standards of patient care in the NHS?

Response (q1093)	N	%
Conservative	109	10.8
Labour	175	17.4
Liberal democrat	206	20.5
None	401	39.9
Other	13	1.3
No view	101	10.1

Total responses - 1005

8. Which political party’s policy for healthcare seems likely to improve your overall morale?

Response (q1094)	N	%
Conservative	146	14.5
Labour	123	12.2
Liberal democrat	187	18.6
None	419	41.7
Other	13	1.3
No view	117	11.6

Total responses - 1005

9. The Government claims that extra money is being made available for the NHS; in your personal experience, is that money getting where it is needed?

Response (q1095)	N	%
Yes	50	5.0
Uncertain	210	20.9
No	740	73.6
No view	5	0.5

Total responses - 1005

10. In your professional opinion, it is in patients’ best interests to make reduction of waiting lists a major priority?

Response (q1096)	N	%
Strongly agree	67	6.7
Agree	343	34.1
Disagree	405	40.3
Strongly disagree	155	15.4
No view	35	3.5

Total responses - 1005

11. In your view, are proposed changes to consultants’ contracts (requiring them to make a full-time commitment to the NHS for a fixed period of years following appointment) in the best interests of patients?

Response (q1097)	N	%
Strongly agree	71	7.1
Agree	221	22.0
Disagree	390	38.8
Strongly disagree	267	26.6
No view	56	5.6

Total responses - 1005

12. In your view, are proposed changes to consultants’ contracts (requiring them to make a full-time commitment to the NHS for a fixed period of years following appointment) in the best interests of clinicians?

Response (q1098)	N	%
Strongly agree	31	3.1
Agree	119	11.8
Disagree	416	41.4
Strongly disagree	364	36.2
No view	75	7.5

Total responses - 1005

13. Proposals to make special payments to GPs who do not take early retirement will address the problem of GP numbers:

Response (q1099)	N	%
Strongly agree	9	0.9
Agree	102	10.1
Disagree	402	40.0
Strongly disagree	441	43.9
No view	51	5.1

Total responses - 1005

Copy of the article as reported in The Sunday Times