Trends Briefing: Are we falling out of love with the NHS
Thursday 25th September 2025
0900-1000
This year, the NHS celebrated its 77th birthday. But in recent years, it’s faced mounting pressures.
Already running hot at the end of the last decade, the pandemic accelerated multiple challenges: an ageing population and a shortage of staff and beds, a nation living longer but doing so while managing multiple chronic conditions. Doctors and nurse, exhausted by the scale of demand and the pandemic, striking over pay and conditions. A planned hospital care waiting list that peaked (in 2023) at almost 8 million.
In our next trends briefing we’ll be exploring the current status and performance of the NHS. We’ll examine how it’s recovering from the pandemic, future demands likely to be placed on it and the ways in which new tech and science may help or hinder it. We’ll also be looking really closely at public perceptions of the institution. Nigel Lawson once described the national affection for the NHS as ‘the closest thing the English have to a religion’ as he lamented how difficult it was to reform.
How secure is this status – do we still trust it, and its ability to be there when we need it? How curious are we about alternative modes of healthcare delivery? And does it still hold the same iconic status for younger generations?
Register here
As is the case with all our trends briefings, our analysis will come informed by hot-off-the-press data from our Optimism Index tracker and other sources too. It will also come with implications for strategists, policymakers, campaigners and communicators to help you translate the insights into tangible action.
Register here to attend
Every month we host webinar looking in detail at a core trend, topic or issue. Although the briefing is free to attend, only our Now & Next members will have access to the presentation and data afterwards, alongside our library of macro trends, detailed reports and Optimism Index data. Click here to find out more about subscribing and request a demo.