NHS cuts could lead to another Baby P or Victoria Climbie as safeguarding staff face axe, doctors warn

NHS cuts to key safety roles could trigger more abuse and child deaths, such as those of Baby P and Victoria Climbié, doctors and experts have warned.

Medical staff responsible for safeguarding in their area are legally required to flag concerns about vulnerable patients, but their roles are at risk of being axed as local NHS bodies scramble to make government-imposed cost savings, doctors have told The Independent.

Almost two dozen healthcare professionals, medical royal colleges, alongside children’s charity the NSPCC, have written to health secretary Wes Streeting urging him to protect the roles.

The letter to Mr Steeting, shared with The Independent, said: “The NHS has a crucial role to play in protecting children.

“Given the scale and pace of reform, we ask you to urgently send a clear message to the public and all those who work to protect babies. This should guarantee that keeping children safe will remain a priority for the NHS and that ICBs will be fully resourced to carry out their child safeguarding duties.”

Dr Peter Green, chair of the national network of designated health professionals and doctors for child safeguarding, told The Independent there was a risk that cases such as Baby P and Victoria Climbie will occur more frequently as a result of any cuts.

Dr Green said: “There is a clear risk of those cases significantly increasing. The risk of those cases is obviously going to increase by not having the [NHS’] oversight and learning when things go wrong.”

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Source: The Independent, 16 July 2025