Episode #7
Is The NHS Failing Our Children?
Is the NHS Failing Children and Young People? The NHS 10 Year Health Plan promises three major shifts: from hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention. But will children genuinely benefit, or once again fall to the bottom of the NHS list? The latest figures make this question urgent. More than one million children were referred to mental health services in 2024–25, almost double the number in 2018–19. Meanwhile, 22.2% of Year 6 children are living with obesity, rising to 29.3% in the most deprived areas. The government says it wants to create the “healthiest generation of children ever”, with more mental health support in schools, restrictions on junk food advertising, expanded free school meals and greater care closer to home. But can these promises be delivered without protected funding and investment upfront? In this episode of BAPIO HealthCross Talks: Making the NHS Better, Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, Nuffield Professor of Child Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, examines what the NHS 10 Year Health Plan really means for children and young people. We ask: Why does so little NHS spending go towards prevention? Should unhealthy food be taxed to subsidise healthier choices? Can exercise alone tackle childhood obesity? Should Britain restrict social media for under-16s? How can children receive mental health support without waiting months for specialist care? Can care move from hospitals into communities without investing first? Should funding for children’s healthcare be protected? Sir Terence also explains why every £1 invested in a child’s early years could save society around £7 over their lifetime, and leaves policymakers with a powerful warning: “Don’t forget children. Today’s children are the parents, taxpayers and voters of tomorrow.” A timely conversation about whether the NHS can turn its promise of prevention into reality, or whether children will once again be left waiting. LIVE NOW Video: https://www.youtube.com/@loveenatandonproductions Audio: https://plinkhq.com/i/1807736085
