Health chiefs ‘ignore public opinion’

With the biggest ever shake-up in Northern Ireland’s acute healthcare due to be announced next month, a new survey has revealed that nearly 80% of people here believe that their views are being ignored by decision-makers.

The figures are contained in a report compiled by Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Ulster – ‘Attitudes to Health Information and Public Involvement in Healthcare’ – which is part of a Life and Times survey published today.

The survey was designed to assess how the public of Northern Ireland accessed information on health care, how much they knew about how healthcare is organised and the extent to which they wished to have a say in health policy.

According to the report, the majority of people (76%) here believed that it was essential for people living in the catchment area to have a say if big changes to the health service were made. However opinion was split on whether “the government is better at involving the public in decisions about healthcare planning", with 37% agreeing or strong agreeing that it was and 40% disagreeing.

Dorothy Whittington, Professor of Health Psychology in the School of Nursing at the University of Ulster, said the report’s findings were “not surprising” given recent controversy about plans for acute healthcare in Northern Ireland.

“However they are important findings at a time when decisions are being made about the configuration of services and NHS structures here,” she added.

However, the survey also revealed a low level of public knowledge on how the NHS works and is organised. Just over half (53%) had heard of the Patients’ Charter while only 23% knew about the health watchdog bodies, the Health and Social Services Councils. Around one-in-three people did not know who to complain to about their GP and 26% did not know who to contact if they had to wait at least 18 months for treatment.

It was also found that whilst, doctors remain the most frequently used source of health-related information (with 87% of people seeking their advice), the Internet is the most commonly used source for people seeking a second opinion or confirmation of something their doctor has told them.

Some 38% of people use the Internet in this way, with books (34%), a friend or relative who is a health professional (28%) and another doctor or health professional (27%) as the next most popular sources.

Professor Whittington added: “The evidence shows that the Northern Irish public continues to place considerable faith in the medical profession. While people do appear to be concerned with medical scandals the vast majority of respondents agreed that doctors should be respected for the difficult job they do.

"In all, the data emerging from this Life and Times survey suggest that public trust in doctors remains intact”.

(AMcE)