Britain’s polarised views on health

New research reveals Britain’s polarised views on NHS gender services, abortion, assisted dying, healthcare prioritisation, the role of AI, and weight loss jabs

• From abortion term limits to puberty blockers, new data lays bare the fault lines running through British attitudes to healthcare’s most contentious issues
• Gender services are the most charged topic studied, with the majority (53%) in opposition to plans for clinical trials of puberty blockers for children
• A minority of people (33%) support reducing the abortion term limit
• Strong public support for allowing the NHS to provide the choice of an assisted death for people who are terminally ill, with 75% in support compared to 14% who oppose

Offering children services to change their gender on the NHS is one of the most charged issues in British public life, according to a new study.

Research published by MHP Group and the University of Cambridge examined the public’s views on current prominent health trends and topics in the UK, including abortion, assisted dying, use of puberty blockers, artificial intelligence, and weight loss medicines.

While there is close to consensus in support of introducing the choice of assisted dying on the NHS, the new data reveals a nation sharply divided on services the NHS should and should not provide.

The results also reveal a departure from stereotypical assumptions about the British public’s opinions. For example, while advocating for the choice of assisted dying on the NHS is often associated with the liberal Left, the MHP Polarisation Tracker’s data shows support for law change is strongest among people with a Right-wing social ideology, with 84% agreement.

Nick Hoile, Senior Director and COO MHP Health, said: “The MHP Polarisation Tracker’s results show there is a disconnect between the public’s opinions on major health issues compared to the views of policy and decision makers.

“Healthcare topics are consistently at the forefront of national debates and central to some of the most contested government interventions, which is why for the first time, we have used the Tracker to dissect the current health trends.

“Polarisation’s harmful effects on public health can be reduced by effective communication, but this requires a deep understanding of how audiences really see the world.”

David Young, MHP Polarisation Tracker Researcher, Cambridge University Political Psychology Lab, said: “Now in its fifth year, the MHP Polarisation Tracker aims to provide a deeper understanding of topics which divide opinion and identify emerging trends, creating a unique view of the cultural and political landscape.”

The MHP Group and University of Cambridge study sampled 1,001 people on current prominent healthcare issues including abortion, assisted dying, puberty blockers, use of AI, and medicine access.

Access the full report here.