Child healthcare waiting times in England hit highest levels in NHS history

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 00:32 · Archive

More than 80,000 children in England are waiting over a year for community health services, almost 11 times more than adults.

Children in England are experiencing some of the sharpest increases in healthcare waiting times in NHS history, according to the Care Quality Commission's annual state of care report. More than 80,000 children and young people are waiting longer than a year for community health services – almost 11 times higher than for adults. Experts described this as wholly unacceptable.

The report highlights growing delays for youth mental health services, alongside an ongoing decline in school nurses and health visitors despite rising demand. Hospital admission rates for bronchiolitis, a leading reason children require hospital treatment, remain 50 per cent higher than a decade ago despite recent two-year declines. The report also notes regional disparities in hospitalisations for paediatric asthma and diabetes, alongside high rates of severe tooth decay in certain areas.

While some adult waiting times have improved, children and young people are being hit hardest by soaring demand and falling staff numbers. The CQC warned that access to health and adult social care services remains a serious problem for many people who need care. Persistent inequalities across the entire health and care system mean people's experience of care is heavily dependent on where they live and who they are, according to the report.

How it is being reported

• Child health in England at risk from sharp rise in NHS waiting times, report saysCQC research finds long delays are making conditions harder to treat and highlights regional disparities in care Thousands of children in England are experiencing some of the sharpest rises in waiting times for healthcare in the history of the NHS, a report has revealed. While some adult waiting times have improved, children and young people are being “hit hardest” amid soaring demand and falling numbers of staff, according to the annual state of care report by the Care Quality Commission. Continue reading...The Guardian · 23 Oct, 00:01
• New report reveals alarming rise in healthcare waiting times for UK childrenConcerns have been raised over waiting times for children when it comes to healthcareThe Independent · 23 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Care Quality Commission · England

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