Patient Satisfaction With NHS Hospitals 2026: What the Latest UK Data Actually Says
⚡ Quick Answer
NHS hospital satisfaction is rising modestly, leading other services. The 2025 BSA survey shows a 6-point rise to 26% satisfied nationally, while the 2024 CQC inpatient survey found 52.1% rated their stay 9 or 10 out of 10. Improvements are in staff interactions and involvement in care, but discharge and bed waits remain weak points. The next data is due in August 2026.
You may have seen headlines that public satisfaction with the NHS has risen for the first time since 2019. The data, from the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey, shows 26% of people were satisfied, with hospital inpatient and outpatient care scoring highest at 32%. But what does that mean for the experience of actually being in a hospital bed? This article walks through the key sources: the 2025 BSA results, the 2024 CQC Adult Inpatient Survey, and what is changing in 2026. We will translate the numbers into a clear picture of what to expect and how you can use the information before, during, or after a hospital stay.
The big picture — NHS satisfaction in 2025
The most widely cited measure of public feeling is the British Social Attitudes survey, run by NatCen. The 2025 results, published in March 2026 by The King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust, found 26% of British adults were very or quite satisfied with the way the NHS runs. That is a 6 percentage point rise from 20% in 2024. At the same time, 51% said they were dissatisfied, an 8-point fall from the previous year. This was the largest single-year drop in dissatisfaction in over 25 years.
It is important to set this in a longer view. NHS satisfaction was 70% back in 2010. It fell to a record low of 24% in 2023. So the 2025 figure of 26% is an improvement from that low point, but it remains the third-lowest reading since the survey began in 1983. The direction of travel is positive, but the system is still viewed far less favourably than it was a decade ago.
Where hospitals sit in the rankings
When the survey breaks down satisfaction by specific NHS service, hospital care comes out on top. In 2025, 32% of respondents said they were satisfied with NHS inpatient and outpatient services. This was higher than the score for GP services. The lowest scores were for A and E departments and NHS dentistry.
Hospitals often score better in these polls. The experience tends to feel more direct and decisive than trying to get a GP appointment. You are usually there because something specific needs to happen, and there is a team of staff around you. Satisfaction with a service is not the same as a judgement on clinical outcomes. But the gap between hospital scores and other parts of the NHS is real and has been consistent for several years. It suggests that, for many people, the hands-on care received during a hospital stay is a relative strength.
What inpatients actually said in the 2024 CQC survey
The Care Quality Commission’s Adult Inpatient Survey gives a more detailed look at the hospital experience. Published in September 2025, it covered over 62,000 patients across 131 acute and specialist NHS trusts in England. All respondents had stayed at least one night in November 2024.
The headline finding was that 52.1% rated their overall experience as 9 or 10 out of 10. This was up from 50.8% in 2023. At the other end, 3.4% rated their experience 0 or 1 out of 10, a figure that was broadly unchanged. So while more people reported very good experiences, the proportion reporting very poor ones did not shift. This tells us the gains are not being felt evenly.
📊 CQC Adult Inpatient Survey 2024 at a glance
62,000+ patients, 131 NHS trusts, England
- → 52.1 percent rated their stay 9 or 10 out of 10 (up from 50.8 percent in 2023)
- → 3.4 percent rated their stay 0 or 1 (very poor)
- → Better than 2023: staff interactions, feeling involved in care
- → Still worse than 2020: bed-allocation waits, discharge, food
- → Next data point: 2025 survey, fieldwork Jan–Apr 2026, publication August 2026
What got better since 2023
The areas showing clear improvement were on the human side of care. More patients said that doctors and nurses listened to them, explained things in a way they could understand, and involved them in decisions about their care. Patients also reported feeling they were given enough privacy and were treated with respect and dignity. These are fundamental interactions, and their improvement is a meaningful sign that the core relationship between patient and staff is strengthening in many places.
What is still worse than 2020
Several key areas have not recovered to their pre-pandemic levels. Patients reported longer waits for a bed after arriving at the hospital. The arrangements for leaving hospital, and the information given about discharge, were also rated worse than in 2020. Hospital food is the third persistent weak spot. These three categories — bed waits, discharge, and food — have lagged behind for several years now. They are also among the most common sources of frustration you hear from people who have recently been in hospital.
What is changing in 2026
The data cycle continues. The CQC’s 2025 Adult Inpatient Survey conducted its fieldwork from January to April 2026, gathering views from people who had an overnight stay in November 2025. The results are scheduled for publication around August 2026, though this date is provisional. That will be the next major confirmed data point on hospital experience.
Beyond annual surveys, other tools provide a more current snapshot. The Friends and Family Test is a simple question asked on a rolling basis in every NHS trust. The results are published monthly on each trust’s website and give a real-time sense of patient sentiment. For a broader policy view, the government has pointed to a new ten-year health plan that will include patient experience measures, though the details are still emerging.
What the data means for you as a UK NHS patient in 2026
This data is not just for policymakers. If you have a planned hospital admission, you can look up your local trust on the CQC website. It publishes its inpatient survey scorecard and inspection ratings. If you have a poor experience, the first step is usually the trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). After that, you can make a formal NHS complaint. The short Friends and Family Test card you are given on the ward is also read and acted upon.
⚠️ Where most 2026 hospital frustration sits
- Waiting for a bed after arriving on the ward
- Discharge planning and discharge-day information
- Hospital food quality and variety
- Communication around delays
- Out-of-hours pain relief on the ward
The data consistently highlights friction points. In 2026, these are likely to be around discharge and bed waits. You can plan for this. Ask about your expected discharge time early in your stay. Bring a phone charger, a book, and a few snacks. Have a plan for who can collect you when you are ready to leave. If you have a great experience, writing to the trust to name the staff involved genuinely helps them during their appraisals. Your feedback, good or bad, is a practical tool for making care better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is patient satisfaction with the NHS actually going up?
Yes, modestly. The 2025 British Social Attitudes survey showed satisfaction rose to 26%, a 6-point increase from 2024. Dissatisfaction fell to 51%, an 8-point drop. Both changes are statistically significant. However, satisfaction is still the third-lowest reading in over 40 years of the survey.
Which NHS service scores best for satisfaction?
NHS hospital inpatient and outpatient care scored highest in the 2025 BSA survey, at 32% satisfied. GP services scored lower. A and E departments and NHS dentistry scored the lowest. Hospital care has been the highest-scoring major service for several years running.
How is patient experience in NHS hospitals actually measured?
Three main sources are used in England. The CQC runs a large annual Adult Inpatient Survey. The Friends and Family Test is a continuous, real-time feedback tool on every ward. The British Social Attitudes survey captures overall public sentiment and service-specific views each year.
When will the 2025 inpatient survey results come out?
The fieldwork for the 2025 survey took place from January to April 2026. The CQC has scheduled publication for around August 2026, although the date is provisional. Until then, the 2024 results, published in September 2025, are the most recent point of comparison.
Where can I find out how my local NHS trust is doing?
You have two main routes. The CQC website lists every trust with its inpatient survey scores and inspection reports. NHS England publishes Friends and Family Test data monthly at trust level. Together, they provide a detailed and reasonably current picture.
✅ The verdict
The latest data shows a small but definite shift. NHS satisfaction has risen from its record low, and hospital care is the part of the system patients rate most highly. The 2024 CQC survey shows gains in how staff communicate and involve patients in decisions. The persistent challenges — discharge planning, bed waits, and food — are still the main areas where care falls short. The next update arrives in August 2026.
If you are facing a hospital stay, you can use this knowledge to prepare and to give feedback that helps trusts focus on what matters most to patients. For more on staying informed about your health, take a look at the Back to Sleep campaign in the UK, learn about NHS pharmacy blood pressure checks, or read up on the new UK cancer vaccine NHS trial.
This article is informational only and does not replace personalised advice from your GP, pharmacist, or another qualified healthcare professional.
