The call for evidence
In its call for evidence, the government sought evidence and views from healthcare organisations and those with expertise in workforce planning. The call follows the publication of the 10 Year Health Plan for England in which the government sets out how it will reinvent our healthcare model from:
- hospital to community
- analogue to digital
- sickness to prevention.
The UK Government noted in the call for evidence description that the 10 Year Workforce Plan will build on the 10 Year Health Plan to set out how it will deliver a new workforce model with staff who are aligned with the future direction of reform.
The call for evidence was an opportunity for RCPCH to provide views on the government's plans for the next decade and to share examples and case studies that will support delivery.
Our response
Paediatricians are working hard to provide high quality care for an increasing number of children and young people (CYP), but without adequate support they continue to face an uphill battle. The previous long-term workforce plan in 2023 failed to adequately recognise the unique needs of CYP and the pressures faced across the entire child health workforce. This call for evidence is an opportunity to right this wrong.
Our submission can be summarised in six principles:
- The three shifts are best implemented for child health by embedding paediatric expertise in community and primary care as part of an effective neighbourhood health service.
- There should be a whole system approach to recruitment and retention of the child health workforce.
- The child health workforce must be given due recognition as supporting the distinct needs of children and young people, who comprise 25% of the whole population.
- Workforce modelling for the child health workforce must take account of rising demand, growing complexity and the pressures of new service models.
- The positive impacts of prevention and technological advances can be managed most effectively in childhood. 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.
- There should be a central culture of inclusivity in workforce planning, with diversity celebrated and flexibility positively encouraged and supported.
In our submission, we provide clear proof of concept examples that we believe would support the UK Government's ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. Our submission also seeks to highlight why investing in the paediatric and child health workforce is critical including:
- Children and young people (CYP) make up 25% of the population, yet their distinct health needs are often underrepresented in workforce planning.
- 60% increase in children waiting over 52 weeks for elective services and 94% increase for community health services in just two years.
- 166,740 additional paediatric patients added to waiting lists since 2020, but only 462 FTE consultants added — a 67% increase in demand vs. 15% increase in workforce.
- 20% average shortfall in resident paediatric doctors on Tier 1 and Tier 2 rotas.
- CYP aged 0–14 are the most frequent users of Emergency Departments compared to other age groups.
- 17.5% of paediatric consultants plan to retire before age 60.
- 15% of paediatric specialist register joiners (2016–18) left within 5 years.
- In 2025, 2,600 applications were received for 476 paediatrics training posts — only 25% were invited to interview.
- Paediatrics has the highest number of Less Than Full Time (LTFT) doctors in training, impacting future consultant capacity.
- Average age of community paediatricians is 52, with over half working LTFT and many planning retirement soon.
You can download our full response below.
Next steps
The call for evidence closed on 7 November 2025. The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that it aims to publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in Spring 2026.
In the meantime, the College will seek to advocate on behalf of the paediatric workforce by sharing this evidence submission and our related policy briefing directly with relevant officials in government and NHS England.
The College will also continue to work in partnership through the Child Health Workforce Alliance to put forward shared recommendations on behalf of the child health workforce.