The NHS was on the news again this morning.

Because, as the Guardian reported:

“Just 24% of people across England, Scotland and Wales – the fewest on record – are satisfied with the [NHS], according to the latest British Social Attitudes research.

Satisfaction has plummeted by 29% since before Covid-19 emerged in early 2020 and by an enormous 46% from the highest-ever 70% recorded in 2010, when the Conservatives took power. It fell five points alone from 29% in 2022 to the 24% seen last year.”

There’s some nuance in this. The newscaster asked the interviewee something like:

“It’s the waits isn’t it? Not the treatment. Once you get the treatment, people are really happy?”

“Yes.“

What does that tell you?

There’s nothing wrong with the service, there just isn’t enough of it.

That’s the kind of metric most businesses would love to have.

Which is of course why it’s being engineered that way.

HT to The Today Programme and Richard Murphy for the prompts.