We ask the NI Government to deliver a community paediatrics regional action plan, conduct a scoping review of the current community child health workforce and ensure mandatory data reporting from all Trusts to ensure a full and accurate picture of the number of children on waiting lists.
Community child health (CCH) is the largest paediatric sub-specialty focussing on the care of vulnerable children and families, children with long-term conditions and child public health. Community paediatricians usually work in multidisciplinary teams and across agencies with therapists, nurses and colleagues from schools, social services, the voluntary sector and local authorities. They have a vital role in planning and implementing local strategies to improve the health of all children in their area including safeguarding policy, universal and targeted lifestyle programmes and tackling local social determinants of health.
It worries me deeply that the HSC system does not currently appear capable of providing consistent timely health care for our children and young people in the community. We must acknowledge the crucial role paediatric community services play and resource accordingly if we are to give this vulnerable cohort the childhood and future they deserve.
To get a better understanding of existing concerns and pressures in 2025, we submitted Freedom of Information submissions to the Department of Health and we surveyed RCPCH members working in community paediatrics in Northern Ireland.
Our recommendations are based around five main themes:
- Strategic models of care and system improvement
- Creating a sustainable child health workforce
- The urgent need for data
- Collaborative care
- Neurodiversity
You can read about all of our recommendations, plus insights from both our members and children and young people in Northern Ireland, in our full report - view or download below: