Almost half of Scots have avoided seeking NHS treatment in past year – survey

Almost half of Scots have avoided NHS treatment in the past year, a new poll shows.

A YouGov study for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) asked 1,009 people in Scotland earlier this year various questions about the state of the NHS and their stance on potential strikes.

The RCN Scotland is among the unions pushing for a better pay deal, with members being balloted on potential industrial action.

But one union – Unison – said it would suspend its strike ballot to allow for the offer to be considered.

The poll showed 10% of those asked said they had avoided NHS services many times in the past year when they felt unwell, 22% had done so a few times, and 12% reported not seeking treatment once.

Some 47% of those who avoided the NHS said they worried about long waits, 42% were concerned it would increase pressure on the health service, and 27% reported knowing how to treat themselves.

The poll also issued a stark warning to the Government over industrial action, with the vast majority of those surveyed saying they would be sympathetic towards a strike by nurses.

Some 50% of respondents said they would have “a lot of sympathy” with striking nurses, while 28% said they would have a “fair amount”.

Just 17% said they would have little or no sympathy.

When asked if they would support a strike by nurses, 42% said they would “strongly support” action, while a further 27% said they would “tend to support” it.

A total of 22% said they would oppose action to some degree.

The Scottish Government made a formal offer to unions at the end of last week as a result of talks that went on into the early hours of Friday.

As part of the deal, NHS Agenda for Change staff – which excludes only doctors, dentists and senior managers in the health service – would receive a flat rate increase of £2,205, backdated to April.

The poll also found that 78% of those surveyed said they would support nurses receiving a pay rise in line with inflation, with only 12% opposed and 62% saying they would support an above inflation offer, while 26% were opposed.

RCN Scotland has asked for an offer equivalent to inflation plus 5% – which would mean an increase of at least 15%.

While Health Secretary Humza Yousaf heralded the biggest pay offer since devolution, unions described it as a “kick in the teeth” and RCN Scotland said its ballot on industrial action would continue.

RCN Scotland director Colin Poolman said: “Strike action is always a last resort.

“That it has come to this demonstrates just how concerned our members are for the safety of their patients, how undervalued and demoralised they are feeling and how frustrated they are at the Scottish Government’s continued failure to listen and act.

“Our members have the support of the public who can see the devasting impact that nursing staff shortages are having on the care they and their families receive.

“The Scottish Government must do better if Scotland is to have the nursing workforce it needs.

“It is not a decision to be taken lightly but I would urge members to vote in favour of strike action and to post back their ballot papers now.”

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the figures are a “damning verdict” for the Health Secretary.

“Patients should always be fully confident that the NHS will be there to treat them, but it is clear that isn’t the case due to Humza Yousaf’s continued inaction,” he added.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the poll “reads like a line from a dystopian novel”.

The survey comes as the Unite union announced it will be urging members to reject the Scottish Government’s offer.

The union’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Thousands of vital NHS workers have made it clear that they are prepared to take strike action in their fight for better pay.

“The Scottish Government must take notice of the scale of the cost-of-living crisis confronting our members and take action now to ensure that NHS Scotland can make a better offer.”

Unison announced on Wednesday it would be suspending its ballot for strike action to allow for the offer to be considered.

Wilma Brown, the chairwoman of the union’s health committee, said: “This is a final pay offer from the Scottish Government, it is also significantly different from the previous offers, so we think it is right that NHS members decide whether they are willing to accept it.

“Unison is a member-led union, so members will decide. NHS staff are working through two crises: an NHS crisis and a cost-of-living crisis.”