Professor Alan Craft, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, estimated that up to 30 per cent of designated doctor and named doctor posts were unfilled.
Primary care trusts are required by law to have a designated paediatrician who performs an administrative and strategic role in child protection and sits on the Area Child Protection Committee.
Hospital Trusts must have a named doctor, either a paediatrician or GP, who does the more day-to-day work.
Craft said the problem had arisen recently and was getting worse as a result of publicity over cot death cases.
Dr Jean Price, chair of the college's child protection committee, said child protection cover may have to be cut to a 12-hour day, rather than being a 24-hour service.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
