Our children face an urgent health crisis
3 min read
Children and young people in the UK have some of the worst health outcomes in Europe. If we fail to invest in children’s health today, it will cost the country tomorrow.
It will be clear to MP colleagues that, over the past few years, the health and wellbeing of our children are in crisis.
As laid out in Lord Darzi’s timely review of the NHS, the mental and physical health of children has been deteriorating. Statistics show that between 2001 and 2018, there was a 250 per cent increase in the prevalence of life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in children and young people. Health services for our youngest generations are currently lagging behind, but with focused attention, they can — and must — lead the way, for the benefit of our entire society.
Childhood vaccination rates in England have been declining since 2013–14, and according to a recent Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health report, all standard childhood immunisations are now below World Health Organisation target levels of uptake. Furthermore, a staggering 2.5m children and young people in England are affected by excess weight or obesity, with 1.2m living with obesity related complications.
Rates of asthma and type two diabetes (previously rare for those under 40) are also increasing in our children, while mental health remains a great cause of concern in our younger generations. Currently, almost one in five children aged 7-17 has a probable mental disorder, and there has been a 65 per cent increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to hospitals in England because of a mental health concern between 2012 and 2022.
For too long and far too often, the UK’s health systems have not been required or encouraged to ‘think child’. The lack of focus on children in policy has resulted in children and young people having some of the worst health outcomes in Europe. Post-pandemic demand for child health services has continued to increase at an unprecedented rate.
This is particularly concerning when recent data shows approximately 63 per cent of the paediatric workforce are experiencing burnout, and a further 82 per cent feel their trust has insufficient capacity to meet the current levels of need. The pressures paediatricians are working under pose serious risks to patient care, delays to treatments, and create stress for children, their families, and NHS staff. Children are not the same as adults – providing the right treatments in the right timeframe is crucial, and delays may have whole-life consequences.
The long-term economic cost of poor child health is staggering. From increased NHS spending to lost productivity and educational underachievement, failing to invest in children’s health today will cost the country tomorrow.
Improving child health requires a whole-of-government approach. The publication of the 10-Year Health Plan has provided us a unique opportunity to rehabilitate our health service and improve health outcomes for our future generations, with a welcome emphasis on prevention, early intervention, and integrated care.
To seize this moment and make meaningful change, on Thursday 10 July, a backbench business debate on children’s health will give MPs their first opportunity to debate these issues at length. It is a timely opportunity with the recent publication of the 10-Year Health Plan to put on record their considerations for how best the plan can work for children and highlight the specific needs of children within their own constituencies.
We urge all MPs to attend this vital debate. The health of our children is the health of our nation’s future.
Simon Opher is the Labour MP for Stroud and Dr Mike McKean is Vice-President for Policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
