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.
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.
Dr Green said: “There is a clear risk of those cases significantly increasing. The risk of those cases is obviously going to increase by not having the [NHS’] oversight and learning when things go wrong.”
Baby P, Peter Connelly, died in August 2007 after suffering dozens of injuries at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and his brother. A review of the high-profile case revealed a series of failings before his death by authorities, such as healthcare professionals and Haringey Council.
Eight-year-old Victoria Climbie was murdered in 2000, by her aunt and her boyfriend, and an inquiry into her death led to sweeping changes to child protection laws.
It is not known how many NHS safeguarding roles are at risk, but all local NHS bodies must make 50 per cent cuts to staffing as a result of the government’s plans to abolish NHS England. Safeguarding was listed in official guidance as one area that could be targeted.
‘Medical neglect’
Urging Mr Streeting to protect the roles, the NSPCC also pointed to cases where children have died following horrific abuse or neglect, such as three-year-old Abiyah Yasharahyalah, Star Hobson, aged 1, and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, aged 6.
Abiyah died in 2020, having been starved by his parents and buried in their garden – a case which showed clear signs of “medical neglect” was overlooked by authorities.
The review into his care found agencies that came into contact with his family showed a “general lack of knowledge or assessment of the parents’ belief systems”, saw him kept on an extreme vegan diet, leading to an “insufficient understanding about the impact on his care”.
It concluded, his parents’ culture and beliefs had a detrimental impact on his health, welfare and safety. He died from a respiratory illness, worsened by severe malnourishment, rickets, anaemia and stunted growth.
According to the review, his parents failed to provide appropriate healthcare, ignored medical recommendations and cut off contact with health professionals who could support the child’s condition.
It also found opportunities for preventative care advice were missed as Abiyah was not brought to his health visiting assessments at the age of one and two years old.
A national review following Star’s death in 2020 highlighted various gaps in the capacity of health services. One example given was significant increases in the workload for health visitors in the area that meant a pre-birth family health needs assessment was not conducted.
And in Arthur’s case, a limited capacity in children’s mental health services before his death in 2020 may have impacted responses to his emotional and mental health needs.
The NSPCC told The Independent that during the pandemic, health visitors who are key in spotting abuse, were instead moved to work on Covid wards, and the 50 per cent still working as health visitors had their caseloads increased.
In the same year, incidents of death or serious harm to children under one soared by almost a third in England.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are working closely with NHS England to maintain the safeguarding of vulnerable children and ensure their wellbeing remains at the heart of healthcare delivery.
“By reforming the NHS organisations, we are removing duplication and driving up efficiency, so they can provide better services for patients.
“We expect NHS organisations to work together and with other agencies in the interests of children and young people.”