Patients and HPCs agree: the healthcare system is ‘reactive, rushed and fragmented’.

What we learnt from the Big Patient Survey and Big HCP Survey 2026

In early 2026, we conducted two national surveys to better understand how healthcare is functioning both from the perspective of the patient and the HCP. One survey gathered responses from nearly 2,000 patients across the UK while the other captured the experiences of more than 250 practising clinicians.

Both groups describe a healthcare system under sustained strain, characterised by time pressure, fragmented information and reactive models of care.

Importantly, what the data shows is that patients are not blaming clinicians and neither vice versa. Instead, both are describing a system that struggles to support preventative, holistic care.

Read on for a more detailed breakdown of what we discovered.

A reactive system

One of the clearest findings from the GP survey is that 92% of clinicians describe the NHS as reactive rather than proactive - something that is reinforced by patient responses. A large majority said that appointments feel rushed and focused on immediate symptoms rather than longer-term prevention or underlying causes.

Why is a reactive system problematic? Well, it has some damaging consequences such as addressing conditions at a later stage, risk factors are insufficiently explored and preventive conversations are not being had. Not to mention the potentially unnecessary emotional strain that this firefighting approach can have on patients. 

Time pressure: long waits and rushed appointments

Only 5% of GPs report they always have enough time to provide appropriate care and six in ten clinicians say they feel emotionally exhausted often or always.

Patients experience the same pressure in different ways. 70% describe waiting times as unacceptable, 65% report delaying or avoiding care because of waits and more than 80% say appointments feel rushed.

The implications extend beyond operational inefficiency. Delayed care increases the risk of worsened outcomes while rushed appointments reduce opportunities for preventative discussion. In addition, clinician exhaustion increases burnout risk and reduces continuity of care. 

In short, time scarcity appears to be reshaping both clinical decision-making and patient behaviour.

Fragmentation of Health Information

Both surveys reveal strong dissatisfaction with how information flows or rather, doesn’t flow, across the system.

Patients frequently report having to repeat their medical history and express worry about whether different clinicians can access the same records. Clinicians similarly report a concern they don’t have the full picture of a patient’s history. Many acknowledge repeating histories or investigations due to inaccessible information. This can lead to the duplication of tests, reduced consolation efficiency, increased administrative burden and a host of potential safety risks. 

In modern healthcare, continuity of information is foundational to continuity of care. The data suggests this continuity is not consistently achieved.

Rising Clinical Complexity

Primary care consultations are becoming more complex. Multimorbidity is increasingly common. Many patients present with multiple long-term conditions that require integrated management. Mental health comorbidities, polypharmacy and socioeconomic factors further complicate consultations.

Clinicians report that complexity often exceeds what can be adequately addressed within standard time constraints. Patients similarly report feeling that the ‘whole picture’ is rarely explored.

This mismatch between complexity and capacity is a structural challenge that directly affects preventative care.

Neglected Family Health History

Family health history represents a significant preventative opportunity. 76.7% of patients believe that better use of family medical history could help prevent illness or enable earlier diagnosis. And clinical evidence supports this view. Family history meaningfully alters risk profiles for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune conditions, among others. It influences screening decisions and risk management strategies.

However, clinicians report that time constraints often limit the extent to which family history is explored or updated. Additionally, fragmented systems mean that relational health data is not always easily visible or structured.The result is a missed opportunity for earlier intervention.

An emotional toll on both patients and clinicians

Beyond operational metrics, the surveys reveal significant emotional strain. Patients use language such as “ignored,” “anxious” and “helpless” when describing delays and rushed interactions. Clinicians frequently describe feeling “overwhelmed,” “stretched” and “exhausted.”

Importantly, neither group directs primary blame toward the other. Instead, both describe systemic pressure. This alignment suggests that improving structural conditions — rather than addressing interpersonal dynamics — may be key to restoring confidence and trust.

An Appetite for Change

Despite the challenges identified, the data reveals opportunities. A strong majority of clinicians support patient-held digital records and improved information sharing. Patients similarly express a desire for more joined-up systems and better visibility of their health information.

There is a shared belief that better data continuity could reduce duplication, improve preparedness, support preventative conversations and increase consultation efficiency. The findings indicate openness to solutions that enhance information access without increasing administrative burden.

Toward a More Proactive Model of Care

The data from both surveys points to a current system seen as reactive, time-constrained and fragmented. Patients feel unheard, clinicians feel overextended, and preventative care is often deprioritised in favour of immediate demand.

Both groups recognise the value of better information sharing. Both support earlier identification of risk. Both want healthcare conversations that are more informed and less rushed.

Moving toward a proactive model of care will require structural changes in how health information is captured, stored and shared. The future of healthcare will be shaped not only by funding and workforce capacity, but by how effectively we enable the full health story to be visible when it matters most.