Public health

Resource

Tobacco and Vapes Bill legislative consent in Wales - consultation response

In January 2025, we responded to the Senedd Health and Social Care Committee's call for comments as part of its scrutiny of Legislative Consent Memoranda relating to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Public health

Society

Document

10 Year Health Plan for England - member briefing on the published plan

The UK Government published the 10 Year Health Plan on 3 July 2025, outlining long-term priorities for improving the health system and health outcomes in England. Over past six months the RCPCH Health Policy team have been making the case for children and the child health workforce - with input from...

News

RCPCH welcomes new Best Start in Life strategy and funding

10 July 2025

The new strategy aims to rebuild early childhood support services in England and comes alongside plan for 1000 Best Start Family Hubs to be rolled out across the country.

News

Celebrating research on children's health and wellbeing – from the NIHR Programme Development Grant winners

1 July 2025

In 2024 the National Institute for Health and Care Research partnered with RCPCH to offer significant research funding to address some of the most challenging issues in children’s health and care. A year on, we highlight some of the incredible work being done by the College members who received thes...

News

Barriers to healthcare are preventing UK children from receiving life-saving vaccinations

1 July 2025

In the midst of ongoing measles outbreaks, paediatricians say stubborn barriers to accessing NHS care are contributing to a worrying decline in vaccination coverage of children and young people.

Resource

Vaccination in the UK: Access, uptake and equity

Over the last decade, the uptake of vaccines in the UK has stalled and is in many cases falling. Declining rates of routine childhood vaccination in a country with a well-established universal healthcare system are extremely concerning and pose a significant public health risk, with outbreaks of pre...

Health policy

Public health

Vaccination

News

Child health roundtable, clean air update and new global officer - President's update

30 June 2025

In this edition Steve talks about chairing a Westminster roundtable on child health workforce challenges, highlighting burnout, systemic inefficiencies, and the need for holistic, community-based solutions. He also raises RCPCH launching a Child Health Workforce Alliance and continuing advocacy acr...

News

Demand for Northern Ireland’s children’s community services skyrockets by almost 86%

26 June 2025

The waiting list for outpatient community paediatrics in Northern Ireland rose by 85.9% from September 2020 to September 2023.

News

Royal Colleges demonstrate the efforts of the workforce in improving child health outcomes

24 June 2025

The Welsh Royal Colleges Child Health Collaborative (WRCCHC) unites over 20 Royal Colleges and professional bodies to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people and the professionals who support them in Wales.

News

Paediatricians overworked and burnt out as demand far outstrips workforce capacity

23 June 2025

82% of paediatricians feel there isn’t sufficient staffing to meet the needs of children and young people, with 63% reporting feeling burnt out.