According to experts, the United Kingdom is experiencing lifelong repercussions and irreversible harm to children as a result of “unacceptable” delays in accessing physiotherapy.
Children as young as four are required to wait 18 months for critical treatment, while adolescents are subjected to enduring trauma as a result of untreated chronic pain, according to a survey of pediatric physiotherapists.
Delays in treatment during the growth phase of children can result in dire health consequences that can last for decades.
Some families are forced to travel more than 200 miles to reach NHS physiotherapy services due to delays or limited access in their areas. Meanwhile, others seek private care to guarantee their children receive the necessary urgent treatment they need.
The Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP), a professional network within the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, surveyed 155 staff members across the United Kingdom who are experts in treating infants, children, and adolescents.
The survey responses were anonymized; however, one physiotherapist cited a four-year-old patient who was required to wait 18 months for treatment.
Another individual, who has been employed in the field of physiotherapy for two decades, expressed apprehension that the delays in receiving care would lead to “a generation of adults with poor physical health and dire mental health.”
Staff Shortages and Service Cuts Contributing to Physiotherapy Crisis
Nine out of ten individuals (94%) expressed concern about young people’s inability to obtain prompt treatment.
In the opinion of Sara Hazzard, assistant director at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, children who are awaiting rehabilitation for illnesses and injuries are experiencing distress and harm that may endure for an indefinite period.
“The fact that this is occurring throughout the United Kingdom is not only unacceptable, but it is also failing a generation.”
Hazzard states that the NHS failed to create sufficient new roles to address the “overwhelming” demand for care, attributing the delays to staffing shortages and service reductions.
“Families should not be concerned about the health and future of their child, as treatment and rehabilitation are only available to those who can afford to pay.” It is essential to perform promptly.
In the survey, a physiotherapist who works with children under six at a neuro disability service identified “severe understaffing” as the “foremost” cause of the crisis.
“The workload has become unsustainable, and our team is currently overwhelmed.” The quality of care these children deserve is becoming more difficult to provide, as there is no end in sight.
Georgina Ashdown, the vice-chair of the APCP, has stated that the assistance available to minors is “devastatingly inadequate.” She specifically refers to musculoskeletal therapy for long-term conditions, rehabilitation following a stroke, and support for chronic conditions, such as cerebral palsy.
“Unfortunately, the irreversible harm caused by long wait lists, limited access to physiotherapy due to staffing shortages, and a lack of suitable rehab spaces is a reality,” according to her.
“It is an agonizing reality for us as pediatric physiotherapists.” We are acutely aware that the failure to provide timely treatment not only jeopardizes children’s health today but also lays the foundation for substantial future health, social, and economic issues.
Ashdown concluded, “The disheartening reality is that, despite the potential for quality rehabilitation to significantly alter the lives of young individuals when administered promptly, the current resources available in acute and community settings are inadequate.”
According to a spokesperson for the Welsh government, the waiting time objective for accessing children’s physiotherapy in Wales is 14 weeks from the time of referral to the commencement of treatment. This is distinct from other regions of the United Kingdom. The objective wait time is achieved for 98% of minors.
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Grey expressed his profound gratitude for physiotherapists’ contributions to child rehabilitation, noting that the number of physiotherapists employed in Scotland had increased by 27.5% in the past decade.
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland acknowledged the physiotherapists’ concerns, reaffirming its “commitment to enhancing the timely availability of these essential services.”
The Department of Health and Social Care, responsible for the NHS in England, recognized that it had inherited a “broken NHS.” Nevertheless, it committed to ensuring that the service would be accessible to all children when they needed it.
