Embedding play into paediatric care is a win for patients, staff and the NHS

Credit: Zoonar GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

3 min read08 July

Last week, the government set out its vision for a modern, fit for the future health service with the launch of the NHS 10-Year Plan.

It builds on Lord Darzi’s sober diagnosis of the challenges facing the NHS, one that has already driven the government to action.

Since September, Labour have been working flat out to fix a health service that has too often left people in pain and on waiting lists. We’ve exceeded our pledge for two million extra hospital appointments, delivering over four million. We promised 1,000 new GPs on the frontline, and nearly doubled that, recruiting 1,900. And we’ve taken almost a quarter of a million people off waiting lists, cutting them to their lowest level in two years.

But our ambition goes further. We've launched an independent commission, chaired by Baroness Casey, to build a national consensus for a new National Care Service - one that can finally meet the needs of older and disabled people in the 21st century.

It’s a plan to build an NHS fit for the future but that future also depends on the health of the next generation. I’m proud to support a government with a bold ambition: to raise the healthiest generation of children in our history.

Before entering Parliament, I was a maths teacher and led children’s services for a local authority. I’ve seen first-hand how critical early intervention and support are to a child’s health and development. One powerful way we can support children is by embedding play into paediatric care.

That was the focus of a recent roundtable I hosted in Parliament with Starlight, the national charity for children’s play in healthcare. Joined by MPs, health leaders, researchers, clinicians and young people, we asked a crucial but under-recognised question: how can we uphold every child’s right to play in healthcare?

For children, hospitals can be confusing and scary places. But when play is woven into care, whether it’s preparing for a procedure, managing pain, or simply having the space to be a child, it transforms their experience and makes a real difference. The research is clear - play helps reduce trauma, ease anxiety, build trust and improve clinical outcomes. Most importantly, it helps them feel seen, safe, and understood.

These ideas underpin the recently published Play Well Toolkit, co-produced by NHS England and Starlight, which set out practical guidance for commissioners and standards for health play services. It builds on what Starlight has long championed: that play is not a luxury, it’s a vital part of care. From hospitals to neighbourhood health hubs in the community, we can embed play in every setting.

It also brings clear benefits for the NHS. When children are calm and engaged, they’re easier to treat. That means fewer sedations, quicker procedures, and fewer missed appointments - a win for everyone.

Momentum is growing. The Raising the Nation Play Commission called for a new national play strategy and for play to be embedded more deeply across children’s health services. The government has echoed this, reaffirming the right to play for children in healthcare across the UK.

Children are the future, and the decisions we make now will have lasting effects on their health and wellbeing. Thoughtfully integrating play into paediatric care is a practical, evidence-based way to improve children’s experiences and outcomes. If we’re serious about building a modern, compassionate NHS, we must make sure the next generation is not only included in our plans, but placed at their heart.

We all have a part to play.

Alistair Strathern is the Labour MP for Hitchin