Healing Connections

Picking up an infection is the public’s main concern about hospital care, a UK-wide BBC poll shows.

Of the 1,040 people quizzed, 40% listed the risk of potentially deadly infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile as their top NHS concern.

In a separate finding, 31% said they would consider avoiding NHS surgery for fear of getting an infection.

The government said it had introduced a raft of measures which were already having an impact in reducing infection.

Despite the concerns raised by the survey, 82% of respondents said they were proud of the health service, with half claiming it was still the envy of the world.

The most widely-cited concern after infections was the wait people face for treatment.

Despite the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland making shorter waits a priority, one in four people still cited this as a concern.

In England, which is the furthest ahead in reducing waits, no-one should be waiting longer than 18 weeks by the end of the year.

By comparison, a decade ago, waits of two years were not uncommon.

One in 10 polled also said that both the lack of staff and mixed-sex accommodation was their biggest concern.

However, it is superbugs which dominate people’s thoughts in the poll carried out by ICM Research for the BBC.