A new report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has found that more than 22,000 children are waiting for treatment in Northern Ireland, reaching a record high. It also showed waiting lists for general outpatient care increased by 172% over the past seven years, more than double the UK average. The number of children waiting to be seen also represented a 22% increase over the past year. Dr Ray Nethercott, RCPCH Officer for Ireland, said that the report reveals a system where children are a “low priority” and could have “irreversible” consequences.
The report highlights the number of children and young people waiting over a year for treatment, which rose by 33% between June 2022 and June 2023. The RCPCH said that prolonged waiting times have profound impacts on children’s mental and physical development, education, and overall wellbeing. It noted that long waits are more dangerous for children and young people, with many treatments needing to be given by a specific age or development stage.
The report makes key policy recommendations, including taking a “whole child” approach to service configuration, stronger workforce planning, and better data collection to improve understanding of need and appropriate commissioning. The RCPCH also called on all political parties to lay out their plans for the prioritisation of children’s services before the next general election.
The report has received a concerned response from the Commissioner for Children and Young People NI, who said that behind each statistic are children who are facing barriers and delays in treatment and care. The Department of Health (DoH) said that waiting lists are unacceptable and multi-year funding is needed, alongside the need for sustainable transformation of services. The report concludes that action, identifying failures, and ownership is key, and that Northern Ireland can’t indefinitely argue that things can’t change or be fixed due to a lack of money
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