17.12.13
Children’s health needs focus on prevention, NCB urges
A greater focus on early intervention is crucial to better children’s health, a new poll has found.
The National Children’s Bureau and the NHS Confederation surveyed health professionals and service user representatives and found that 66% believe acute care is still given priority over prevention in children’s services.
Additionally, 89% believe schools’ potential to support good child health is not yet being fully utilised.
The NCB and NHS Confederation have called for cross-agency working to be supported through greater clarity of responsibilities and joined-up commissioning and delivery of services.
Dr Hilary Emery, chief executive of the National Children’s Bureau, said: “This study provides a useful snapshot of the mood within the NHS and how those commissioning and delivering services for children perceive the impact of recent reforms. There is cause for optimism: for example there may be a more widely-shared agenda between stakeholders to improve child health.
“But there are familiar problems too, and work must be done to support the integration of services, particularly for those with complex health needs, while strengthening preventative measures and fully involving children in decision-making.”
Dr Johnny Marshall, director of policy for the NHS Confederation, said: “The people we surveyed are at the sharp end of delivering health services for children and young people, and their views give us a crucial 'progress report' on how we are delivering improvements in health services for children and young people.
“There is no doubt that as the NHS reform programme has been implemented over the past six to nine months, it has required a strong focus to ensure we do not slip backwards in delivering for children.
“But sustaining our position is not good enough for the future – we owe it to our children and young people to help them live healthy lives, and to involve them in how they want us to do this.”
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