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Survey reveals that people in Wales believe that primary care services should support non-medical issues

Published: 4 June 2025

A new survey has found that 80 per cent of people in Wales believe primary care services (e.g. community pharmacies, optometrists, dentists and GP surgeries) have a role in supporting people with everyday issues like diet, housing and staying physically active. 

According to the latest Time to Talk Public Health survey by Public Health Wales, 74 per cent of people think healthcare professionals have a large responsibility to ask patients about non-medical needs (e.g. problems with housing, not having enough food or unemployment), which may be affecting their health. Additionally, 80 per cent think primary care services have a responsibility in referring people to local services that can offer them non-medical support (e.g. food banks and housing charities) when required.  

The results demonstrate that people in Wales recognise that their health is influenced by their wider circumstances and feel it is acceptable for healthcare professionals to ask about these. 

The survey also found that: 

  • 70 per cent of people support the allocation of funding for primary care services being based on community needs (e.g. health status, employment levels, quality of the environment), and 51 per cent of people support this approach even if it would mean areas with better health would receive less primary care services. 
  • 93 per cent of people said access to healthcare was one of the biggest factors impacting whether someone experiences good health, followed by good quality, warm housing (89 per cent), good financial security (78 per cent), good social connections (77 per cent), and fair working conditions (77 per cent). 

People also value flexibility and consistency when accessing healthcare. If people had multiple health concerns, 60 per cent of people said they would be happy to wait longer for an appointment with a healthcare professional at a GP surgery if it meant being able to talk about more than one issue at once. In addition, if seeing a healthcare professional at a GP surgery for an existing health condition, 57 per cent said it would be more important to be seen by the same healthcare professional than it would to be seen quickly (20 per cent). 

Dr Kerry Bailey, Public Health Consultant, Lead for Reducing Health Inequalities, Primary Care Division at Public Health Wales, said:

“As a practicing GP, I know some of these responses may cause debate, but this survey highlights that people in Wales want fair healthcare services, and they recognise that where we live and the conditions we work in also affects our health. It also highlights that people are supportive of healthcare services having a role in talking to us about these aspects.”