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NHS Confederation comments on new briefing by the Nuffield Trust on waiting lists for community care
Long waits can have a lifelong impact: they can severely disrupt the physical, social, and educational development of children.
Responding to a new briefing published by the Nuffield Trust on growing waits for community care, Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said:
“This new briefing paints a sorry picture of how long children are waiting for community care. These long waits can have a lifelong impact: they can severely disrupt the physical, social, and educational development of children – leading to poorer health and economic prospects for years to come. So it is very worrying that, despite the sustained efforts of community health services nationwide, there are more than 300,000 young patients still awaiting some form of treatment.
“Community services are under immense pressure and to tackle these long waits for essential healthcare, we need to shift the focus from treating illness to preventing ill health later in life. This requires changing how contracts and payments within the NHS work so community services can expand their share of activity – in line with the government’s ambition to shift more care into communities. The evidence is clear: early intervention in children and young people’s health not only provides them with a healthier future, but also reduces pressure on the NHS by keeping them healthier for longer.”
