The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has responded to the 10 Year Workforce Plan call for evidence by publishing a hard-hitting report outlining the significant gaps in the child health workforce.
The College is categorical that the lack of focus on children in health policy has led to the UK experiencing some of the worst health outcomes for children and young people in Europe. This lack of focus is especially prevalent when it comes to workforce planning, with the previous long-term workforce plan failing to adequately recognise the unique needs of children and the pressures faced across the entire child health workforce. The upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan is now an opportunity to right this wrong.
While children and young people make up 25% of the UK population, workforce planning has continued to focus on adult services. Data proves this, with 166,740 additional paediatric patients added to waiting lists since 2020, but only 462 consultants added - a 67% increase in demand vs 15% increase in workforce.
In order to get ahead of this unprecedented rise in demand, the royal college has produced a series of recommendations for the 10 Year Workforce Plan.
Recommendations include:
- Growing the workforce: Expand paediatric training and consultant numbers and alternative career pathways to meet rising demand
- Retaining and supporting staff: Improve working conditions, mental health support, and flexible job planning
- Investing in community roles: Address shortages in the community-based child health workforce
- Modernising workforce planning: A long-term child health workforce plan that ensures the ambitions in the plan can be delivered effectively for the unique needs of children and young people
RCPCH warns that without a focus on paediatrics and the child health workforce, the UK Government will struggle to realise its three shifts to digital, prevention and community. With practical examples within the report, it notes that these shifts are best implemented for child health by embedding paediatric expertise in community and primary care as part of an effective neighbourhood health service.
Investing in the child health workforce to tackle ill health and reduce risk factors early in life is the most effective way to ensure a healthier future population and reduce future demand on services.
Read RCPCH’s evidence and recommendations for the paediatric and child health workforce in full.
RCPCH President, Professor Steve Turner, said:
In this report we are urging the Government and policy makers to remember that paediatrics is not just a specialty, but a whole demographic, with unique requirements across hospital, community, and mental health settings.
The UK government has set out several important ambitions when it comes to children’s health and wellbeing. This includes its pledges to raise the healthiest generation of children and give every child the best start in the life. We welcome these plans and once again reiterate our strong belief that the long-term success of the 10-Year Health Plan is only possible if the paediatric and child health workforce is finally prioritised.