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Circumcision classed as potentially harmful practice in new CPS guidance

Circumcision has been classed as a potentially harmful practice in new official guidance for criminal prosecutors in England and Wales, but controversial plans to class it as possible child abuse have been dropped.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided against including circumcision alongside dowry abuse, witchcraft and female genital mutilation in its new guidance on honour-based abuse, after objections from Jewish and Muslim groups when the plans were revealed by the Guardian.

Instead it has included a similar section on circumcision in updated guidance on offences against the person. It says: “In certain circumstances, such as the procedure being carried out by those falsely claiming to be suitably qualified practitioners or carried out in non-sterile conditions, it can cross the line into a harmful practice.”

Romain, the convener of Reform Beit Din, Progressive Judaism’s religious court, said he approved of the altered wording. “I very much welcome the change of attitude by the CPS not to castigate circumcision, as it is an important practice for so many people of different faiths and cultures,” he told the Guardian.

He added: “Circumcision can be safe and meaningful if done by experts, but rogue operators can both bring it into disrepute and endanger children.”

Since 2001, circumcision has been a factor in the deaths of seven boys, including three babies who bled to death. Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS trust admitted 29 babies between 2022 and 2024 with serious complications from circumcision, including sepsis and haemorrhage, according to figures obtained under freedom of information laws.

Last December, a coroner issued warnings about insufficient regulation over who can perform a circumcision, after the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

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Source: The Guardian, 5 March 2026

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Chronic UTI sufferers face mental health crises after being ‘dismissed and gaslighted’ for years

Women suffering from chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) are facing mental health crises after being “dismissed and gaslighted” by health professionals for years, according to a leading specialist.

Daily debilitating pain has left patients feeling suicidal, with those in recovery describing lingering mental health problems “akin to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”, said Dr Rajvinder Khasriya, an NHS consultant urogynaecologist at the Whittington Hospital in London.

Patients have said they feel crippling anxiety over planning ahead to ensure there is always a toilet around, even after their condition has been controlled with treatment. 

Vicky Matthews, who searched for a diagnosis for three years after a recurrent UTI became chronic, said the condition caused a “gradual decline” in her mental health as medical professionals were unable to pinpoint what was causing her pain.

"I questioned my pain. I questioned what was going on. I questioned whether it was actually real and that was a pretty awful thing to be dealing with on top of having physical pain,” the 43-year-old said, describing what she felt was “mental torture”.

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Source: I News, 12 February 

Further reading on the hub

The clinical implications of bacterial pathogenesis and mucosal immunity in chronic urinary track infection

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Chronic UTI infections: NHS finally recognises debilitating condition exists in online advice for patients

The NHS has publicly recognised that chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) exist and has updated its advice for patients following pressure from campaign groups.

For many patients who develop a UTI, their experience is extremely painful but short-lived. But for thousands of others, a one-off acute attack turns into a chronic infection that dominates their lives and lasts for months or even years.

NHS Digital updated its website to last week to provide information around chronic bladder infections where previously there was none.

Campaigners say this is a “huge step forward” but there is still a long way to go in improving testing and treatments for the condition. 

Chronic UTI sufferer Leah Herridge has been pushing for the change alongside Chronic Urinary Tract Infection Campaign (CUTIC) and Bladder Health UK.

The NHS website’s Cystitis page has been updated to include mentions of chronic UTI and to acknowledge that current tests may not pick up these infections. 

Previously, the NHS made no mention of chronic UTIs, meaning GPs and even consultants would often default to misdiagnosing patients with interstitial cystitis.

Specialists say the infections, which often begin as an acute bout of cystitis, can occur when bacteria become embedded within the bladder wall and become difficult to treat with short courses of antibiotics.

“People tend to think chronic means really bad. What it means is everlasting,” said Carolyn Andrew, from CUTIC.

In August 2021, Ms Herridge sent a letter to NHS Digital demanding the web page be updated. The campaign was backed by CUTIC and Bladder Health UK as well as 100 other chronic UTI sufferers who also wrote letters.

“NHS Digital has actually been really, really fantastic at working with us and I do feel like they have really co-produced, certainly the interstitial cystitis page with the leading professionals in the area, the charities and myself,” said Ms Herridge.

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Source: iNews, 14 March 2022

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Chronic shortage of sickle cell nurses putting patients at risk, damning report warns

Sickle cell patients are being put at risk because of a chronic shortage of specialist nurses to treat them, a damning new report has found.

'The Difference Between Life and Death', a new study by the Sickle Cell Society, found that there are not enough sickle cell workers to deliver a good standard of care.

One patient called Abi Adeturinmo told researchers that previous traumatic experiences caused by delays in receiving pain relief medication and poor care meant she “tries not to go to the hospital when in sickle cell crisis unless it is life-threatening”.

Another patient, Araba Mensah, whose daughter has sickle cell disorder, said there was a lack of “hands-on” nursing, and said patients who have difficulties feeding themselves or with personal hygiene were “left to suffer unattended”.

John James, CEO of the Sickle Cell Society, said: “While there are undoubtedly workforce challenges across all parts of the health system, the evidence in this report suggests that sickle cell is disproportionately impacted as a result of the legacy of neglect of sickle cell care.

“On behalf of everyone affected by sickle cell, we are urging NHS England to take action now to ensure all sickle cell patients have access to the specialist care they are entitled to.”

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Source: The Independent, 24 November 2023

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Chronic pain treatments are failing millions, say experts

Relentless. Unbearable. Overwhelming.

These are just some of the words used by the thousands of people who have revealed their battle with long-term, persistent pain.

An exclusive survey of over 4,000 adults aged 16-75 for BBC News, carried out by research company Ipsos, suggests that a quarter of people in the UK are living with chronic pain - an often hidden and misunderstood condition.

And pain specialists warn the health service is not set up to deal with such complex conditions. They say the treatments on offer are decades behind the science, leaving millions of patients without the support they need to manage their pain.

Jen Proudler says chronic pain has left her grieving for "the person she was".

It started four years ago with sporadic back pain. After several incorrect diagnoses, Jen was eventually told by a neurosurgeon that she had a "pretty massive" far lateral disc herniation in her spine. The pain has now spread around her body - Jen has burning pins and needles sensations down her leg, as well as sharp pain, as if being cut by a razor. Sometimes it's so bad, she can't even bear any fabric to touch it.

"Our nervous system becomes more and more protective, it feels danger and sends warning signals - and those warning signals contribute to the pain," explains Dr Chris Barker, clinical director of an NHS community pain service in Ainsdale, Merseyside.

He says such pain can be hard to diagnose, and the difficulty of getting the correct treatment can make things worse. "Incorrect diagnoses, delayed diagnoses, poor experiences in and out of the health system, not being believed - all of these can contribute to a more intense experience of pain."

Dr Barker says the NHS is not set up to deal with such a complex condition, despite the fact it is so common. "The prevalence of pain is huge. It dwarfs most other conditions."

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Source: BBC News, 11 May 2022

Further reading: Is pain a patient safety issue? Blog from Patient Safety Learning

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Chronic pain sufferers should take exercise, not analgesics, says NICE

People suffering from chronic pain that has no known cause should not be prescribed painkillers, the medicines watchdog has announced, recommending such patients be offered exercise, talking therapies and acupuncture instead.

In a major change of pain treatment policy, the National Institute for health and Care Excellence (NICE) say that in future, doctors should advise sufferers to use physical and psychological therapies rather than analgesics to manage their pain.

Painkillers such as aspirin 'do more harm than good' for chronic primary pain

Medical teams can also consider prescribing antidepressants, the government health advisers suggest.

NICE’s new guidance potentially affects the way many hundreds of thousands of people in England and Wales tackle their condition because between 1% and 6% of the population of England is estimated to have chronic primary pain.

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Source: The Guardian, 7 April 2021

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Chronic pain sufferers should not be given opioids, says medicines watchdog

People with chronic pain that can’t be explained by other conditions should not be prescribed opioids because they do more harm than good, the medicines watchdog has warned.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has said people should instead be offered group exercise, acupuncture and psychological therapy.

In new draft guidance, NICE said most of the common medications used for chronic primary pain has little or no evidence to support their use in patients aged over 16.

Its latest guidance comes amid concerns over the level of opioid use. In September last year a review by Public Health England found 1 in 4 adults have been prescribed addictive medications with half of them taking the drugs for longer than 12 months.

NICE’s new draft guidance said some antidepressants should be considered for people with chronic primary pain but it said paracetamol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, as well as benzodiazepines or opioids should not be given because of concerns they might do more harm than good.

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Source: The Independent, 4 August 2020

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Chronic fatigue syndrome: Outcry over Cochrane decision to abandon review of exercise therapy

A decision to cancel a planned update of a Cochrane systematic review of exercise therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome has met with anger from a group advising the review and the patient community.

The decision has reignited calls for the review, which includes studies only up to May 2014, to be withdrawn for being outdated and misleading.

The review recommends exercise therapy to treat myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), concluding that this “probably has a positive effect on fatigue in adults compared to usual care or passive therapies.”

However, this treatment approach is controversial and has been criticised by patient groups who say that it can make symptoms worse. Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, published in 2021, specifically advise against graded exercise therapy. Guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also state that exercise therapy is not a cure for ME/CFS and that standard exercise recommendations for healthy people can be harmful for people with ME/CFS.

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Source: BMJ, 27 January 2025

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Chronic fatigue syndrome advice scraps exercise therapy

A health watchdog has scrapped a previous recommendation of graded exercise therapy for ME.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a long-awaited and contentious final update to guidance on treatment.

Many patients with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) say the therapy, which encourages patients to slowly increase their levels of activity, makes their condition worse.

The advice was due out in August, but NICE pulled the publication at the last minute.

At that time, NICE said the delay was necessary to allow more conversations with patient groups and professionals, so that its advice would be supported.

There are strong and varied views on how the illness should be best managed.

The updated guidance for England and Wales recommends people judge their own "energy limit" when undertaking activity of any kind, and a physical activity programme should only be considered in specific circumstances.

It warns practitioners: "Do not advise people with ME/CFS to undertake exercise that is not part of a programme overseen by an ME/CFS specialist team, such as telling them to go to the gym or exercise more, because this may worsen their symptoms."

It also clarifies advice on a talking therapy, known as CBT, stressing that it is only helpful in treating anxiety around the condition, not the illness itself.

And it emphasises the need for early and accurate diagnosis.

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Source: BBC News, 29 October 2021

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Chronic fatigue guidance discouraging exercise is flawed, say researchers

New guidance for doctors discouraging them from recommending exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic fatigue patients is not evidence based, according to researchers.

A study questions the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) review process for this guideline for clinicians dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) patients and its use of scientific standards in considering the evidence.

One of the study’s lead authors, Prof Trudie Chalder from the psychiatry department at King’s College London said: “The decision to change the guideline has had a direct effect on doctors’ and therapists’ ability to treat patients. Services are no longer able to provide a full range of evidence-based therapeutic interventions.

“This could have a devastating impact on people’s lives in that they will no longer be able to access the treatment that could help them the most.”

ME, also called CFS, is a long-term condition believed to affect about 25,000 people in the UK, which has a wide range of symptoms including extreme tiredness, muscle pain, mental fogginess and insomnia.

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Source: The Guardian, 11 July 2023

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Christmas mixing ‘will cost many lives’, warn top medical journals

The government’s plan to allow up to three households to mix at Christmas is a “major error that will cost many lives” and should be stopped, the editors of two leading medical journals have said.

In a rare joint editorial, the editors of the British Medical Journal and Health Service Journal have said the government’s plan to relax coronavirus restrictions for five days between 23 and 27 December is a serious “blunder” that will put more pressure on the NHS and cause thousands of operations to be cancelled.

The article published jointly on Tuesday says: “The government was too slow to introduce restrictions in the spring and again in the autumn. It should now reverse its rash decision to allow household mixing and instead extend the tiers over the five-day Christmas period in order to bring numbers down in the advance of a likely third wave.”

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Source: The Independent, 15 December 2020

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Chris Whitty on the infections we should take ‘much more seriously’

England’s chief medical officer says infections in older people must be taken “much more seriously”.

Professor Sir Chris Whitty said older people are “under-served” when it comes to care and research into the illnesses affecting them, adding that doctors should have a lower threshold for prescribing antibiotics than they do for younger adults.

He suggested the medical community has been “nihilistic” about infections in older people historically, adding that “people have assumed it’s one of those things that happen in old age – in fact, we can do a lot about it”.

Discussing his new annual report, which focuses on infections, Sir Chris said: “Whilst we are very systematic about reducing infections and preventing infections in children and in young adults, in older adults it is often a lot more hit and miss.”

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Source: The Independent, 4 December 2025

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Chiropodist struck off after removing prisoners toe without consent

A chiropodist who removed part of a prisoner's toe without their consent has been struck off.

Lady Deborah Knight Griffiths, who had been a qualified chiropodist since 2008, carried out the procedure on the prisoners foot at HMP Forest Bank in Salford, Greater Manchester, on 13 November 2020.

A disciplinary hearing found she had "performed an invasive procedure outside the scope of her practice upon an individual who was acutely vulnerable and thereby placed him at real risk of harm” and “she had not maintained or developed the skills to do so.”

She had been hired by First Steps Podiatry Ltd and was employed to provide foot care by Sodexo, the private operators of the prison. The prisoner she treated in this instance was “in poor health and suffered from diabetes” and had toes amputated previously.

The hearing found she had omitted 11 pre-operative checks before performing the procedure - including failing to take a blood pressure reading, performing an X-ray and obtaining written or informed consent.

She was also found to have kept no written records of the diabetic inmate’s treatment or any reference to the dose of the local anaesthetic used.

Knight Griffiths also failed to maintain “accurate and complete records” for the patient, inappropriately stitched the patient's wound with a suture and “did not obtain a tissue sample or wound swab prior to the procedure” the hearing revealed.

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Source: The Independent, 23 January 2026

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China launches new law to protect doctors

China has introduced a new law with the aim of preventing violence against medical workers.

The announcement comes days after a female doctor was stabbed to death at a Beijing hospital.

The law bans any organisation or individual from threatening or harming the personal safety or dignity of medical workers, according to state media.

It will take effect on 1 June next year.

Under the new law, those "disturbing the medical environment, or harming medical workers' safety and dignity" will be given administrative punishments such as detention or a fine. It will also punish people found illegally obtaining, using or disclosing people's private healthcare information.

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Source: BBC News, 29 December 2019

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Chilling warning that scandals across NHS will be covered up as staff say whistleblowers are ignored

More than half of NHS staff believe bosses would ignore whistleblowers amid fresh concerns hospitals could be covering up potential scandals following the Lucy Letby case.

New national figures seen by the The Independent reveal that in the majority of hospitals, most doctors and nurses do not believe their concerns would be acted upon if they were raised with senior managers.

It comes after The Independent revealed that NHS bosses accused of ignoring complaints about Letby were the very same people later appointed to act on whistleblower concerns at the hospital where she murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more.

Several doctors who worked alongside her during the killing spree say they attempted to raise the alarm with hospital managers – only to have their pleas ignored. They believe the lack of action by bosses resulted in more babies being killed, stating managers who failed to act were “grossly negligent” and “facilitated a mass murderer”.

In nearly three-quarters of general hospitals – such as the Countess of Chester where Letby worked – fewer than half of staff believed their trust would act on a concern, according to results from the latest NHS staff survey.

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Source: The Independent, 27 August 2023

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Children’s unit to close over staffing and CQC concerns

A children’s mental health unit struggling with short staffing has been forced to close for several months, in the wake of a Care Quality Commission inspection.

Chalkhill Hospital, an inpatient unit run by Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust in the grounds of the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, has capacity for up to 16 young people aged 12 to 17.

The trust confirmed it has closed to new admissions and, although it is not at full capacity, is seeking to relocate its seven current residents. However, the trust expects this to take up to 12 weeks. 

A board paper shows the trust was contemplating closure from mid-September, citing “no consultant cover”, and said admissions were paused following concerns from the CQC.

The CQC inspected the unit at the end of August, but has not yet published its report, and would not comment further.

HSJ understands the trust has recently recruited a new “responsible clinician” – a regulated role required for patients detained under the Mental Health Act – but they will not take up the post for several weeks.

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Source: HSJ, 6 October 2025

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Children’s surgery waiting lists hits record high as NHS fails to tackle spiralling backlog

Hospitals are failing to tackle spiralling children's surgery waiting lists as the backlog hits more than 400,000 for the first time.

Leaked documents show children’s waiting lists for both inpatient and outpatient care are “increasing at double the rate of adults” and, despite efforts, services have failed to catch up after they were paused during the pandemic.

NHS leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the backlog amid warnings that services for young people have been “deprioritised” to cut adult lists.

One NHS leader warned that the long waits would be likely to affect some children’s “ability to lead full and active lives” and worsen existing inequalities between adult and children’s care.

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Source: The Independent, 11 May 2023

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Children’s surgery backlog grows as NHS prioritises adult waiting lists

Hundreds of thousands of children are waiting for surgery as new figures show the backlog has spiralled by almost 50 per cent in two years.

The latest NHS data for December lays bare the parlous state of paediatric medicine, with NHS leaders and doctors warning that adult care is being prioritised over children’s.

In December 2022, 364,000 children were waiting for treatment, from neurosurgery to ear, nose and throat operations, while a further 200,000 needed community services such as speech and language therapy.

The surgery figure is up by 48%t since April 2021 – a far bigger increase than was seen in the overall NHS waiting list, which grew by 36% over the same period.

Mike McKean, vice-president of policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said “Lengthy waits are unacceptable for any patient, but for children and young people, waits can be catastrophic, as many treatments need to be given by a specific age or developmental stage. It is not the same as for adults. If you miss the right window to treat a child, or wait too long, the consequences can be irrevocable.”

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Source: The Independent, 19 February 2023

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Children’s supplement recalled over fears it contains prescription-only sleep drug

A health alert has been issued to parents over a brand of children’s magnesium gummies after batches were found to contain a prescription-only drug used to aid sleep.

Melatonin, which may cause drowsiness, headaches, dizziness and nausea, was detected in Kids Magnesium Glycinate Gummies made by Nutrition Ignition.

The synthetic hormone is not listed on the packaging of the raspberry-flavoured gummies.

Health chiefs have ordered the gummies to be removed from sale, working with online retailers to withdraw all listings.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned parents to stop giving them to children and to safely dispose of any left.

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Source: The Independent, 19 August 2025

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Children’s services rated ‘inadequate’ as trust remains ‘outstanding’

The children’s inpatient unit at an ‘outstanding’ mental health trust has been downgraded to ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), amid a surge in demand for its services.

The CQC previously rated child and adolescent mental health wards at Hertfordshire Partnership University Foundation Trust as “outstanding” in May 2019.

But after an inspection in November and December 2021, these services were downgraded to “inadequate” overall and for the key categories of safety and leadership.

Although inspecting a core service, the CQC said its visit was “not wide-ranging enough” to update overall trust ratings, so HPFT remains “outstanding” overall.

Teenagers aged from 13 to 18 and admitted to Forest House, a 16-bed unit in Radlett providing HPFT’s only inpatient service for children and adolescents, told CQC inspectors they felt “unsafe”, dissatisfied with their care, and had experienced bullying by fellow patients.

Leadership in the service had “significantly deteriorated” since previous inspections, CQC chiefs wrote in a report published today, and this was having a “knock-on effect in all areas of care being provided”.

Staff morale was low and access to clinical psychologists limited, with a reduced ability to provide therapeutic interventions, inspectors added.

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Source: HSJ, 30 March 2022

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Children’s oral health is “national disgrace,” says head of royal college

The poor state of children’s teeth is a damning indictment of widening inequalities in child health in England, the president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has said.

In an interview with The BMJ Camilla Kingdon said that paediatricians were seeing the effects of longstanding health inequalities widening as the cost of living crisis affects the types of ill health that children are presenting with. She further told The BMJ, “There are lots of examples. One that we often forget about is oral health and the state of children’s teeth, which is actually a national disgrace. The commonest reason for a child having a general anaesthetic in this country is dental clearance. That’s a terrible admission of failure.”

In her interview with The BMJ, Kingdon identified asthma and nutrition as other major areas of child health where the UK was failing. She said that these trends were partly being driven by social factors and expressed concern at the lack of focus in policy on fixing them.

She warned, “Our worry, with the health disparities white paper being kicked into the long grass, is that without that intention, without a clear signal from the government that this is a priority, all these ideas [for tackling child health inequalities] just won’t be prioritised and we will miss an opportunity to really intervene.”

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Source: BMJ, 4 January 2023

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Children’s NHS mental health referrals double in pandemic

Record numbers of children and young people are seeking access to NHS mental health services, figures show, as the devastating toll of the pandemic is revealed in a new analysis.

In just three months, nearly 200,000 young people have been referred to mental health services – almost double pre-pandemic levels, according to the report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Experts say the figures show the true scale of the impact of the last 18 months on children and young people across the country.

“These alarming figures reflect what I and many other frontline psychiatrists are seeing in our clinics on a daily basis,” said Dr Elaine Lockhart, the college’s child and adolescent faculty chair. “The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the nation’s mental health, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that children and young people are suffering terribly.”

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Source: The Guardian, 23 September 2021

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Children’s lives at risk from failures in asthma care, warns safety watchdog

Children with asthma are at risk of avoidable deaths in England because of poor NHS systems and a failure to appreciate the dangers posed by the condition.

A new investigation by NHS safety watchdog the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) has revealed a series of risks to children with asthma, as concerns emerge of the impact of the pandemic on asthma patients more generally.

The latest inquiry was sparked by the deaths of three children between 2014 and 2017. All were caused by asthma attacks which were later the subject of warnings by coroners.

In each case HSIB said there were missed opportunities to recognise asthma as a life-threatening condition as well as problems with how the children were managed by doctors working in different parts of the NHS.

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Source: The Independent, 5 May 2021

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Children’s lives ‘put at risk’ as eating disorder waits reach record high

Children’s lives are being put at risk, charities warn, as waiting times for eating disorder services soar to record highs.

The number of children waiting more than four months following an urgent referral for an eating disorder was more than seven times higher at the end of 2021-22 compared to the same period in the previous year.

Data showed that at the end of quarter four of 2021-22, 94 children were waiting more than 12 weeks following an urgent referral, the highest on record, compared to just 13 at the end of 2020-21.

The latest NHS data on waiting times for community eating disorder services for children also showed more than 1,900 children were waiting for treatment at the end of March. Of these, 24 were waiting to start urgent treatment - up from 130 last year.

Sophie Corlett, director of external affairs at Mind, said: “Our government is shamefully failing children and young people with eating disorders at the time when they need help most. Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates of any mental health problem. Children in need of urgent NHS treatment for eating disorders should always be seen within one week yet some children are still waiting for treatment after twelve weeks. This is irresponsible and disgraceful.”

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Source: The Independent, 12 May 2022

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Children’s intensive care at near full national occupancy amid rising RSV

A senior doctor has warned that paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are ‘as pressured as I can ever recall’ – despite the absence of cold weather, which typically leads to higher demand levels.

James Fraser, president of the Paediatric Critical Care Society, said national bed occupancy in PICUs has “often been greater than 95 per cent” over recent weeks, while several units have reported 100 per cent occupancy. He said some children have had to be transferred between regions in order to admit them to a bed.

PICUs are often under more pressure during winter, due to seasonal RSV and other viral infections.

But high demand levels have started earlier this year, which has meant severely ill children have occasionally waited longer in local hospitals before being admitted to PICUs, and have sometimes had to be transferred to another site.

Mr Fraser told HSJ: “[PICUs] are really busy, as pressured as I can ever recall them.

“Every winter PICUs are under huge pressure due to seasonal RSV bronchiolitis. This usually happens between November and February. This year we always anticipated it would be a much longer season. It’s putting a lot of pressure on our national bed base.

“What is different is we have been under this pressure earlier in the year with RSV and other viral chest infections. We have been under this pressure for a month. The pressure is both the number of patients and there are a lot of staff off having to self-isolate."

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Source: HSJ, 29 October 2021

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