The NHS is set to be the big election issue in the runup to May – and politicians of all parties are looking for vote-winning policies to give them the edge. Many pollsters see the “grey vote” as holding the key, which is why much of the NHS debate focuses on meeting the needs of an ageing population. This is important, but so are the nation’s children and young people.
A recent ComRes poll of the UK public reveals that Britons are just as passionate about children’s healthcare as they are about care for the elderly, with 94% saying that child health should be a priority for the NHS. Over three-quarters say ensuring consistent health service provision for children and young people, reducing child death rates and reducing childhood cancers should be a high priority for the next government. More than two-thirds see improving children and young people’s mental health as a high priority.
And when it comes to policies to improve child health, nine in 10 Britons support teaching children how to cook and about the nutritional value of food in schools, 82% want to see compulsory personal, social and health education introduced in primary and secondary schools, and over three-quarters (77%) back policies that support women to reduce risky behaviours, such as smoking during pregnancy. Almost two-thirds of Britons also back a ban on junk-food advertising on TV prior to the 9pm watershed.
Politicians must give as much attention to child health as they do to care for the elderly. Not only does it make strong moral sense – but it makes real economic and political sense too.
Dr Hilary Cass President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Dr Peter Carter Chief executive, Royal College of Nursing
Dr David Richmond President, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Professor John R Ashton President, Faculty of Public Health
Dr Janet Atherton President, Association of Directors of Public Health
Dr Peter Hindley Chair, Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Dr Ingrid Wolfe Co-chair, British Association for Child and Adolescent Public Health
Mike Hobday Director of policy, British Heart Foundation
Anna Feuchtwang Chief executive, National Children’s Bureau
Barbara Gelb Chief executive, Together for Short Lives
Matthew Reed Chief executive, The Children’s Society
Kathy Evans Chief executive, Children England
Francine Bates Chief executive, The Lullaby Trust
Simon Blake Chief executive, Brook
Laurence Guinness Director of campaigns and research, Kids Company
Deborah Arnott Chief executive, Action on Smoking and Health
Chris Head Chief executive, Meningitis Research Foundation
Amanda Batten Chief executive, Contact a Family
Siobhan Dunn Chief executive, Teenage Cancer Trust
Sarah Brennan Chief executive, Young Minds
Valerie Jackson Chief executive, Action for Sick Children
Colin Dyer Chief executive, WellChild
