Urgent call for action as England found to be among worst in Europe for child health

Children in England are facing "some of the worst child health outcomes in Europe," prompting MPs to demand an "urgent" rebuilding of the health visiting workforce.

A new report from the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has issued a stark warning, highlighting rising obesity levels and "uneven" vaccination coverage among infants.

The cross-party group scrutinised the critical "first 1,000 days" of a child's life, from conception to age two, concluding that government action is imperative to improve national child health.

Committee members urged ministers to expand pledges on Family Hubs, ensuring these vital support centres are accessible in every community.

Crucially, they called for an immediate effort to "urgently rebuild the health visiting workforce," which has seen a significant 43% reduction since 2015.

This has resulted in a shortfall of 5,000 posts, with remaining staff managing “dangerously high” caseloads, the report states.

The report also calls for the target of giving 95% of children their routine childhood immunisations to be reinstated in the NHS.

“The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says the UK has some of the worst health outcomes for young children in Europe. This should be a source of shame.

“Over the last two decades we have seen a hollowing out of health services for infants – the Family Hubs programme still barely touches the sides of what was once provided by Sure Start centres before they were forced to close."

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Source: The Independent, 22 January 2026