Paediatricians condemn “national scandal” of 400 000 children waiting for treatment

The number of children on the waiting list for consultant led paediatric treatment has reached an all time high of 403 955 in England, NHS data show.1

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health expressed alarm at the numbers, saying it was particularly disturbing that 17 991 children had been waiting for more than a year for treatment, according to the figures for March 2023.

The royal college’s president, Camilla Kingdon, said, “It is a national scandal that over 400 000 children are stuck in limbo on a list, waiting for treatment. NHS England has a zero tolerance policy for 52 week waits, so it is deeply concerning that these targets are being missed.”

Kingdon said the figures showed that policymakers had deprioritised child …