With a meningitis B outbreak in Kent last month raising the spectre of mass contagion once more, a new YouGov survey of more than 1,000 NHS workers asks how well prepared staff in the health service think it is for another pandemic.

The results show that 69% say the health service is poorly prepared for another pandemic, including 26% who say it is “very poorly” prepared.

Only one in five (22%) think the NHS is well prepared for another pandemic, with a statistical 0% saying it is "very well" prepared.

Last month also saw the release of the third report of the Covid Inquiry, finding that the NHS had come close to collapse during the height of the pandemic, but was saved by the efforts of healthcare staff.

When we asked NHS workers how the level of preparedness now compares to prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, 41% do say they think the health service is better prepared now than it was then.

However, 37% think it is no better prepared, and 16% actively think it is less well-prepared now than it was prior to 2020.

See the full results here

Interested in taking YouGov surveys? What do you think about political figures, the state of the country, and everything else? Have your say, join the YouGov panel, and get paid to share your thoughts. Sign up here.

Interested in commissioning YouGov research? We connect in real-time with real people around the world to gather their thoughts, behaviours, and opinions, to ensure that our research data is powered by reality. Explore our survey services here.

Photo: Getty

Subscribe to the YouGov newsletter