NHS cuts could cause more child deaths, 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.

- REBECCA THOMAS HEALTH CORRESPONDENT

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.”

The NSPCC warned that any cuts to safeguarding could result in a reduction in the tens of thousands of vital alerts already made by healthcare professionals every year - which has decreased since the pandemic, from 96,300 in 2020 to 91,370 in 2024.

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.