Children’s healthcare must not suffer at the hands of politicians chasing the ‘grey vote’
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Version 0 of 1. The NHS is set to be the big election issue in the runup to May – and politicians of all parties are looking for vote-winning policies to give them the edge. Many pollsters see the “grey vote” as holding the key, which is why much of the NHS debate focuses on meeting the needs of an ageing population. This is important, but so are the nation’s children and young people. A recent ComRes poll of the UK public reveals that Britons are just as passionate about children’s healthcare as they are about care for the elderly, with 94% saying that child health should be a priority for the NHS. Over three-quarters say ensuring consistent health service provision for children and young people, reducing child death rates and reducing childhood cancers should be a high priority for the next government. More than two-thirds see improving children and young people’s mental health as a high priority. And when it comes to policies to improve child health, nine in 10 Britons support teaching children how to cook and about the nutritional value of food in schools, 82% want to see compulsory personal, social and health education introduced in primary and secondary schools, and over three-quarters (77%) back policies that support women to reduce risky behaviours, such as smoking during pregnancy. Almost two-thirds of Britons also back a ban on junk-food advertising on TV prior to the 9pm watershed. Politicians must give as much attention to child health as they do to care for the elderly. Not only does it make strong moral sense – but it makes real economic and political sense too.Dr Hilary Cass President, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child HealthDr Peter Carter Chief executive, Royal College of NursingDr David Richmond President, Royal College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsProfessor John R Ashton President, Faculty of Public HealthDr Janet Atherton President, Association of Directors of Public HealthDr Peter Hindley Chair, Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Child and Adolescent PsychiatryDr Ingrid Wolfe Co-chair, British Association for Child and Adolescent Public HealthMike Hobday Director of policy, British Heart FoundationAnna Feuchtwang Chief executive, National Children’s BureauBarbara Gelb Chief executive, Together for Short LivesMatthew Reed Chief executive, The Children’s SocietyKathy Evans Chief executive, Children EnglandFrancine Bates Chief executive, The Lullaby TrustSimon Blake Chief executive, BrookLaurence Guinness Director of campaigns and research, Kids CompanyDeborah Arnott Chief executive, Action on Smoking and HealthChris Head Chief executive, Meningitis Research FoundationAmanda Batten Chief executive, Contact a FamilySiobhan Dunn Chief executive, Teenage Cancer TrustSarah Brennan Chief executive, Young MindsValerie Jackson Chief executive, Action for Sick ChildrenColin Dyer Chief executive, WellChild |