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Poll on services 'focuses policy' Public 'satisfied' with services
(about 1 hour later)
Ministers have promised to act on the findings of a major survey into what people think of public services in Wales. Nearly all the people who took part in a survey over public services in Wales said they had been treated with dignity and respect at NHS hospitals.
The Living in Wales Survey asked 7,500 people for their views on services such as schools, the NHS and transport. And 85% of those surveyed said they were positive about their first point of contact with GP surgeries.
Public Service Delivery Minister Andrew Davies said the results would help to make policies more "customer focused". But a quarter were dissatisfied with the ease of getting a convenient appointment with their GP and were not happy with hospital waiting times.
He has already spoken of the ambition to treat people as "users" of public services instead of passive recipients. The assembly government said policies would become more "user focused".
The survey, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK, found most (85%) of citizens were positive about their first point of contact with GP surgeries but 27% expressed dissatisfaction with the ease of getting a GP appointment at a convenient time. The Living in Wales survey questioned 7,500 people face-to-face on their views on services such as schools, the NHS and transport.
An overwhelming majority of respondents (94%) believed they had been treated with dignity and respect in NHS hospitals though 24% were dissatisfied with the time they had to wait for services. Public Service Delivery Minister Andrew Davies pledged to listen and learn, and translate the results into the way public services in Wales are delivered in the future.
Forty four per cent of respondents had used their local bus services in the previous 12 months and 80% of those were satisfied overall. On the issue of transport, 44% of people surveyed had used their local bus services in the previous 12 months and 80% of those were satisfied overall.
Local government can hold its head up high in the knowledge that we are getting it right Welsh Local Government Association Schools were also among the topics covered in the poll
Around one third of households with children aged 2-5 years were using a local authority funded nursery or playgroup. Around one third of households with children aged 2-5 years were using a local authority funded nursery or playgroup, the survey showed.
The majority were satisfied although only half expressed satisfaction about their involvement in decisions about their child's nursery or playgroup.The majority were satisfied although only half expressed satisfaction about their involvement in decisions about their child's nursery or playgroup.
The majority of parents expressed positive views of their experience of their child's primary school, although parents were least satisfied with the ease of getting their child to and from school. Overall, a majority of parents expressed positive views of their experience of their child's primary school, although parents were least satisfied with the ease of getting their child to and from school.
On secondary schools, the majority of parents expressed positive views of their child's experience.On secondary schools, the majority of parents expressed positive views of their child's experience.
However around a quarter of parents reported that they had no opportunity to participate in decision-making on the running of their child's secondary school.However around a quarter of parents reported that they had no opportunity to participate in decision-making on the running of their child's secondary school.
'Getting it right' In terms of recycling, the survey found the majority of citizens (75%) had used facilities over the previous 12 months. The main reasons for not using facilities were "there was no need" (25%) or "didn't have time" (23%).
The majority of citizens (75%) had used recycling facilities over the previous 12 months. The main reasons for not using facilities were "there was no need" ( 25%) or "didn't have time" (23%).
Most respondents were positive about all aspects of their local sport and leisure facilities.Most respondents were positive about all aspects of their local sport and leisure facilities.
Mr Davies said there was still room for improvement. The survey will help make policy more 'customer focused'
He said: "The results indicate a number of issues that need further study, particularly around the accessibility of information about services and complaint handling." Mr Davies said there was still room for improvement and described the feedback the survey gave as a "very important part of the jigsaw by which we judge the quality of the standard that are provided by the public sector".
He said: "There's a lot to learn from this and it's very important that we do listen to what people want. There's no point saying we're providing high quality services if people don't want them or feel they're a high quality."
He said the survey allowed a breakdown of the statistics.
"Instead of looking at the people of Wales as single group, it look at breaking it down on the basis of age, for example younger people often find it very difficult to find out about services or to feel that services are not what they want."
He added that improving complaints procedures was akin to industry canvassing what customers thought of a firm's products.
Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association said the survey showed "local government can hold its head up high in the knowledge that we are getting it right".Steve Thomas, chief executive of the Welsh Local Government Association said the survey showed "local government can hold its head up high in the knowledge that we are getting it right".
He said: "Local councils play a critical role in delivering vital frontline services to thousands of people within their communities and today's survey shows that our efforts and approaches are paying off." "Local councils play a critical role in delivering vital frontline services to thousands of people within their communities and today's survey shows that our efforts and approaches are paying off," he said.
The 2006 Living in Wales Survey of Citizens' Experiences of Public Services in Wales questioned 7,500 householders face-to-face.