Our rich history shows us why children need specialist care
Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS in England exposes the state of healthcare for children and young people and the need for skilled nurses to tackle the problem. Hospital waiting lists have grown more quickly for children than adults. Children are increasingly likely to have long hospital stays due to a rise in prevalence of life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and there are other growing health inequalities. The history of children’s nursing explains why there is a need for specialist nurses to care for them.
Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS in England exposes the state of healthcare for children and young people and the need for skilled nurses to tackle the problem
inequalities with more of the poorest becoming obese Picture: John Houlihan
What do children’s nurses offer?
‘Hospital waiting lists have grown more quickly for children than adults, including for community services’
The answer, if Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS in England is anything to go by, is more apparent than ever, laying bare as he does evidence about the state of healthcare for children and young people and the need for skilled professionals to tackle the challenges.
Hospital waiting lists have grown more quickly for children than adults, including for community services. Children are increasingly likely to have long hospital stays due to a rise in prevalence of life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, in part due to increases in survival and recording of diagnoses, according to Darzi.
There is further evidence in the report of an 82% increase in hospital admissions for eating disorders, 29% of children living in poverty, fewer children being immunised, growing health inequalities with more of the poorest becoming obese, concerns about the effects of vaping and deteriorating mental health.
Specialist care is needed now more than ever
The need for the challenges to be tackled with high-quality care is mentioned with only one quarter of GPs now receiving paediatric training.
There is concern about increasing genericism in children’s nursing programmes. My interpretation of Darzi is that there is more need for specialist care than ever before, but you can also look to the past for inspiration here.
The Association of British Paediatric Nurses – as part of its 85th anniversary – has undertaken an oral history project of children’s nursing from the 1950s to the 2020s. Personal stories have been recorded with an array of children’s nurses who talk about their careers and motivations, they reflect on how services have changed and talk about what the future might look like.
This project, like the RCN’s Once Upon a Time… a History of Children’s and Young People’s Nursing exhibition, offers a chance to draw strength from what has gone before. This rich history explains why children need specialist nurses to care for them and why this field of practice was founded in the first place.
