New statistics show just over 39% of adults on a waiting list rated the administration of their care as good or very good.
Of those who had a poor or very poor overall experience, the most common responses for what could improve their experience were shorter waiting times (73.0%), more regular updates about their wait (64.6%) and confirmation of their place on the waiting list (50.9%).
Those in the younger age groups were significantly more likely to report that more regular updates about their wait would improve their experience compared to those in the older age groups.
The results come as NHSE today reported a second consecutive rise in waiting lists.
Results for primary care, dentistry and community healthcare were more positive.
Three quarters (73.0%) of adults who had tried to contact their GP practice in the last 28 days described their overall experience as good or very good, with those who were trying to contact their GP practice to get a prescription significantly more likely to describe their overall experience as good or very good (77.8%), compared to any other reason.
Of those who had an appointment with an NHS community health service, 84% had an overall good or very good experience. District or community nursing services (92.1%) and rehabilitation services (91.1%) were the two services with the highest percentage of adults reporting a good or very good experience.
Nine out of ten (90.0%) adults with an NHS dentist who attended an NHS dental appointment in the last 28 days, were very satisfied or satisfied with the care they received. Of those who did not have a dentist but tried to make an NHS dental appointment in the previous 28 days, 91.3% were unsuccessful.
Three fifths (60.5%) of adults reported using NHS services from a pharmacy in the last 28 days and 88.7% of those doing so reporting being very satisfied or satisfied with the most recent service they had received.