A new report by NHS Providers has warned a “forgotten” generation’s life chances are being harmed by delays in accessing care.
Its survey has found that the NHS is struggling to meet rapidly rising demand and increasingly complex and acute care needs among children and young people. There is also “deep concern” among NHS trust leaders about the long-term harm caused by delays in services for children and young people, including a widening health inequalities gap.
NHS Providers is calling for a cross-government plan to improve the wellbeing of children and young people, including greater investment in early intervention and preventing ill health.
Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “It is concerning to see that many children are not receiving the timely care they need, which can have long-lasting effects on their health and development.
“We know that the foundations for future health are laid in the earliest years of life. Investing in services, such as health visiting, that give children the best start in life, reduces demands on GPs, hospitals and social care.
“It means children start school ready to learn and to achieve, so our schools can be more effective.
“Investing at the start of life gives our children the best chance of being safe, happy and healthy throughout their lifetime and into old age.
“However, we also need to see greater alignment, integration and collaboration between partners, wrapped around a common purpose that addresses the whole child and ensures a coordinated approach to their physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.”