NCB with others in the sector have been campaigning for an NHS that will specifically meet the needs of children and young people – one of the largest groups of users and who have the most to lose from an unhealthy NHS.
We are concerned that the current proposals continue to treat children the same as adults, and do not reflect the specific and often specialist needs of infants and young people. What is particularly concerning is that it is not clear how the reforms will improve health services for children in care, children with disabilities, and those moving into adulthood, or how we can ensure better co-ordination with other children's services.
We want the new clinical commissioning groups (the GP commissioning consortia as was) to demonstrate the engagement of clinicians with child health expertise, and health commissioners themselves to have a thorough understanding of children and young people's needs. In addition, reforms will need to secure effective integrated planning across the full range of services that promote children's health and wellbeing, not just health and social care. We also want the new local Healthwatch organisations to give children a strong voice in the health service from the start.
It is a positive step that government has promised to strengthen the role of health and wellbeing boards in promoting integration and to ensure a range of health specialists are involved in commissioning. We will be watching carefully to ensure that measures introduced are not tokenistic and will actively improve services for babies, children and teenagers.
Barbara Hearn, deputy chief executive, NCB
