A shocking new poll has revealed trust in blue light services is flatlining, with only one in five people confident that paramedics would reach them in an emergency.
The research by pollsters at Omnisis showed just 20% were confident of being saved by ambulance crews, with four in five people saying the NHS crisis is causing unnecessary deaths.
Meanwhile, the controversy gripping the Met this week has eroded the public’s faith in policing, with 38% feeling police officers do not have the ability to uphold the law. 71% said their confidence in officers had been rocked following the conviction of former Met cop and serial rapist David Carrick.
More than half of people said they feel there is institutional sexism and racism across forces in the UK.
The latest Omnisis poll, conducted on 19th January 2023 with 1,268 people and weighted to a nationally representative population, revealed:
ON THE NHS
- 89% agreed that the NHS is in crisis
- 80% agreed that the state of the NHS is leading to unnecessary deaths
- 57% said they are not confident that an ambulance would reach them quickly in an emergency
- 70% said the government’s approach to tackling NHS strikes was leading to unnecessary deaths
ON TRUST IN THE POLICE
- Only 37% agreed that they trust police forces in the UK to uphold the law, with 38% disagreeing
- 71% said the conviction of ex-Met cop and serial rapist David Carrick had undermined their trust in the police
- 66% agreed there is institutional sexism in the London Met Police, with 58% in UK police forces generally
- 58% agreed there is institutional racism in the London Met Police, with 54% in UK police forces generally
Brian Cooper, Managing Director of Omnisis, said: “It feels like the public’s confidence in our vital and treasured blue light services is flatlining.
“It was shocking to see that only one in five people felt they would get life-saving emergency treatment from paramedics, backing up the near 80% of people who feel the state of the NHS is causing avoidable deaths.
“We also asked our panelists this week who they blame for the situation, with most fingers pointed squarely at the Government.
“It also appears criminal behaviour by officers in the Met has led to mistrust of policing in the UK as a whole. There is a definite feeling from many people at the moment that public services are at breaking point.”