Almost two thirds (63%) of trusts say they are effectively working in partnership with their ICB to support the delivery of services for children and young people (CYP), according to a report by NHS Providers.
The report, called Forgotten Generation: Shaping Better Services for Children and Young People, surveyed 134 individuals across NHS trusts between April and May 2024.
Just over half (53%) of respondents said they work ‘fairly’ effectively with ICBs on this, while 10% said this was ‘very’ effectively.
A further 14% of respondents said they work neither effectively or ineffectively, while 16% said fairly ineffectively and the remaining 7% very ineffectively.
The report also looked at how trusts work with other partners, including local authorities, schools, the voluntary sector, social care and universities. Out of these, the greatest level of effective partnership in CYP services was believed to be with local authorities, with 70% of trust respondents saying they worked effectively with these.
Nearly all respondents (97%) said that demand for CYP services had increased since the Covid pandemic, and 90% said the health of wellbeing of children is not considered enough in national policy.
It recommended that NHS England and the government should require ICSs to give sufficient prioritisation to CYP services and that ICSs should ‘protect local capital and revenue funding to help to address the challenges’ within CYP services.
Sir Julian Hartley, chief executive, NHS Providers, said: ‘We’re in danger of seeing a forgotten generation of young people. Too many young lives are being blighted by delays to accessing vital NHS care.’
He added that there should be a ‘cast-iron’ commitment from NHS England and the government that the health of children and young people would be a priority.
‘It will require concerted, joined-up working between trusts, government, NHS England and local partners including councils, schools and the voluntary sector,’ he said.
In its manifesto, the Labour party said it would recruit an additional 8,500 new staff to treat children and adults in its first term in government.
