Most people would pay higher tax if the money directly funded more nurses, according to a survey of 2,000 UK adults.
The survey, commissioned by Anglia Ruskin University, found that 61% of Brits would be happy to pay an extra 1p in income tax or VAT if it was specifically used for the recruitment and retention of nurses in the NHS. This figure was 63% among participants in Cambridge.
Among 18-24 year-olds across the UK, this figure was even higher at 77%, while London was the area where people were happiest to pay more tax, with 73% willing to do so.
When asked to list up to three most rewarding professions, 46% of people selected nursing (this figure was 47% among participants from Cambridge). People under 35 years old felt the most rewarding profession was doctor, while participants over the age of 35 were more likely to choose nursing. Teachers (35%), care workers (21%) and charity workers (20%) were also popular choices.
When asked for a word to describe nurses, 34% of people said ‘caring’, while ‘compassionate’, ‘dedicated’ and ‘skilled’ also featured prominently in responses. In Cambridge, ‘compassionate’ was the most popular response, with 33% of people choosing to describe nurses as such.
Dr Louise Jenkins, Head of the School of Nursing at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said: “Since the general election last summer, debates about taxes have been commonplace, but our survey shows that people would be happy to pay a little more if they knew their money was going to pay for the retention and recruitment of more nurses to assist the NHS.
“People also considered nursing to be among the most rewarding professions, which shows that people recognise the dedication, compassion, and expertise that are central to the role, allowing nurses to feel a sense of pride in their work. Nurses have the opportunity to make a significant difference in patients’ lives, providing care and comfort during vulnerable times. They are skilled experts, with huge responsibility, and patients trust them with their lives.”
A total of 2,000 adults nationally representative on the basis of age, gender and region in the UK participated in the survey, carried out by OnePoll and commissioned by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), which is the largest provider in the East of England of graduates employed in the health and social care sector.
ARU runs undergraduate and postgraduate nursing courses at its campuses in Chelmsford and Cambridge, and at ARU Peterborough. To find out more about studying nursing at ARU, visit https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/subject-areas/nursing . Alternatively, you can book a place on the next undergraduate open day, on 18 January.
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