Trusts plead for national help with surge in long waiters

The number of children waiting more than a year for community services has risen by a third in two months – mostly driven by referrals for neurological disorders – causing trusts to plead for national intervention.

NHS England figures show the number of children’s community waits of more than 52 weeks grew from 27,429 in February to 35,922 in April (31 per cent).

Data collection changed in February, which resulted in an increase in that month, but, even discounting this, the total appears to have roughly doubled in the year to April.

Along with a rise in the overall waiting list for community health services, it has been overwhelmingly driven by a large rise in referrals to children’s “community paediatrics” services, mostly for neurological disorders such as autism and ADHD.

Several trusts have declared they are effectively unable to deal with demand locally and called for national intervention and regional coordination to help.

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Source: HSJ, 25 June 2024