CQC warns of healthcare failings affecting children in October 2024
- The CQC's annual report reveals that many children in England face significant barriers to accessing necessary healthcare.
- Louise Longster's daughter Chloe died from sepsis due to lapses in NHS care, reflecting broader systemic issues.
- The findings call for essential reforms in NHS services, particularly in mental health, to ensure all children receive timely support.
In England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) released its annual report indicating serious deficiencies in NHS services, particularly for children and mental health care. The report highlights that many children and young people are not receiving appropriate healthcare, risking their futures due to delays in treatment and inadequate staffing. Louise Longster voiced her distress regarding these findings, especially after her daughter Chloe succumbed to sepsis in 2022, which a coroner attributed to healthcare failings. Louise's experience exemplifies a wider trend of systemic issues within NHS that affect timely and safe patient care. The CQC raised significant concerns about mental health services, stating that escalating demand is not being met effectively, and cautioned that critical conditions such as sepsis may not be identified swiftly. Furthermore, the report shed light on unequal healthcare access, where families with the means are forced to seek private care amidst long waits. The overall conclusion of the CQC is troubling, emphasizing that without substantial improvements in staffing, training, and resource allocation, countless children and vulnerable people may continue to suffer in silence. The call for urgent reforms in NHS practice and policy is echoed by health professionals and charities alike, who stress the pressing need to address the growing inequalities in health services across the country.