RCPCH submission of evidence to independent investigation of NHS performance

In August 2024, we submitted evidence to Lord Darzi's independent investigation of the NHS. The review has a focus on assessing patient access to healthcare, the quality of healthcare being provided and the overall performance of the health system.

The review team requested that evidence submissions highlighted key data in no more than five slides.

Our response

We noted there has been chronic underinvestment in children’s healthcare over the last decade, and during this time children’s health outcomes, waiting times and access to health services have worsened.

Children are frequent users of NHS services, from primary and community services to hospital-based care, with 0-14 year olds more likely to attend A&E than any other age group. Despite this, child health services have been deprioritised in national policy over the last decade. 

While many adult health services are recovering to pre-pandemic levels, the gap between adult and children’s health services is widening. 

Our recommendations 

We urged the Darzi independent review team to consider children and young people as a distinct group when undertaking this review. When children are not explicitly considered in health service reform, they are often forgotten altogether, eg in the Mackey elective recovery plan. Without action, we risk moving towards a two-tier healthcare system, where children’s services are left behind.