The Health Secretary’s approval rating is lower than his disliked predecessor Andrew Lansley – who lost his job in 2012.
The results of the poll created by YouGov reveal that 65% of people believe Hunt is doing badly, compared to only 17% say he is doing well in his role.
The Health Secretary has a lower approval rating than Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose rating has improved from -39 in January 2015 to -34.
The poll comes only days after Hunt announced he would impose new contracts on NHS junior doctors without their agreement, since negotiations with the British Medical Association broke down leading to walk outs by junior doctors across the country.
The Health Secretary’s handling of the NHS junior doctor contracts has received much of criticism. The majority (54%) of British people saying the Government is wrong to impose new contracts without doctor’s agreement, even 36% of Conservative voters agree this is the wrong thing to do.
Joe Sharpe, a second year medical student at the University of Manchester, said “Jeremy Hunt’s action’s show a complete ignorance of the need for a quality modern healthcare system. The BMA has stated over and over that the new contract, while not just hugely unfair, will increase the strain on already overworked doctor’s and this will negatively impact on patient safety.”
“I wish people other than those employed by the NHS cared more about this topic… our health service is one of the greatest things about this country and people should be willing to fight for it.”
The government has insisted the new contract – which includes a 13.5% pay rise – is fair, however junior doctors are concerned they will be overworked with unfair shift patterns and, as the contract does not take into account unsociable hours, they could end up being paid less despite the basic pay increase.
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