- The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has warned that many emergency departments lack the necessary infrastructure to meet the increasing demands of child patients.
- Up to two in five (40 per cent) child A&E attendances are for non-urgent issues, as families often feel they have no other healthcare options available.
- Child A&E visits have risen significantly from 5.4 million in 2018/19 to 6.3 million in 2024/25, yet children receive only 11 per cent of NHS funding despite comprising 25 per cent of the population.
- Professor Steve Turner, RCPCH president, stated that children are treated as "second-rate citizens in the eyes of NHS funding" and are “often getting stuck and delayed in the wrong parts of the system”.
- The RCPCH has introduced new Emergency Care Standards to ensure children receive safe, compassionate, and timely care, addressing issues such as difficulty accessing GP appointments and NHS 111 referrals.
IN FULL
