THE NHS is struggling to meet rapidly rising demand and increasingly complex and acute care needs among children and young people, a survey by NHS Providers has found.
The report, Forgotten generation: Shaping better services for children and young people, found that:
- Nearly all (97 per cent) trusts responding to the survey said demand for children’s and young people’s services has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic.
- 86 per cent said waiting times for initial assessments had increased compared to pre-pandemic,
- 90 per cent said that the health and wellbeing of children is not considered enough in national policy.
- 82 per cent said they cannot meet current demand and 75 per cent would be unable to meet anticipated demand in next 12-18 months.
- 86 per cent were concerned about the impact on staff morale of the challenges in providing care.
These findings reinforce the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health’s ongoing concern that a lack of focus and investment in children’s health services is having profound implications for children’s health outcomes, the sustainability of child health services, and long-term population health.
In September, the College will set out its blueprint for child health services, providing a roadmap for policymakers to support its workforce and get children’s services back on track.
RCPCH President, Professor Steve Turner, said: “NHS Providers are absolutely right, and as paediatricians we work day in and day out to support the health and wellbeing of a forgotten generation and young people. As individual parents we value, respect and care for our children, but as a society we simply don’t. Within children’s services, waiting lists are soaring, mental health needs have sky rocketed and much needed recovery funds are being directed towards adults.
“The findings of this report are deeply troubling. This comes as no surprise to our workforce who have been working tirelessly to deliver essential services to children and young people. This will come as no surprise today to the hundreds of thousands of children and young people (and their families) across the UK who are waiting for care.
“The recent election has left us all thinking about the future of our NHS. As a nation we must take child health and wellbeing more seriously than we do at present; they are 25 per cent of the population but 100 per cent of the future. Children must not be forgotten. Children and young people must be intrinsically considered as part of all health policy decision making so their unique needs are assessed and acted upon. Investing in and reforming paediatric services is not only valuable in itself but is fundamental to the future health and economic wellbeing of our country.
“We understand that the current crisis in child health services cannot be resolved overnight. As a college we are committed to supporting our workforce and identifying a clear path forward to high quality, sustainable services for our young people. We stand ready to work with the new Government on a 10-year long term plan for the NHS with children at its beating heart.”
* Read: Forgotten generation: Shaping better services for children and young people here.