Ten Year Health Plan
As the government embarks on its ambitious programme of reform to the NHS, HPIG is strongly advocating that any health system fit for the future, focused on prevention, must meet the needs of babies, children and young people.
As part of this work, HPIG published its Roadmap for the Healthiest Generation of Children Ever which outlines how the government can improve child health outcomes. We held an engaging workshop in November, where HPIG members presented the findings and recommendations from this Roadmap to officials in the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England working in child health policy. HPIG will continue to advocate for the needs of children in the forthcoming Ten Year Health Plan.
In December 2024 we responded to the NHS consultation on the Ten Year Health Plan. Find our response here.
Data and information
The Health & Care Act introduced significant improvements to information sharing between health and adult social care. HPIG has been working closely with the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care to ensure that these considerations are also extended to children and young people.
Advocating for a Single Unique Identifier
We have consistently appealed to the government to deliver commitments for a Single Unique Identifier across health and other public services. We are please to have been mentioned in the Department for Education policy paper published in November 2024, "Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive", as a critical group advocating for their proposal to introduce a Single Unique Identifier. We continue to proactively engage with policymakers to ensure this policy change is as effective as possible.
Report on children’s multi-agency information sharing
The Health and Care Act 2022 required a report to be laid before parliament setting out improvements to information sharing in relation to children’s health, social care and safeguarding, and setting out the Government’s policy on a consistent identifier for children.
HPIG has been grateful for the opportunity to engage regularly with the Department for Education and DHSC throughout the report process to highlight that effective information sharing between services is crucial for children’s health and social care as well as prevention and safeguarding.
The Government’s report did not go as far as we had hoped in recognising data and information sharing for all children and young people and not just those at the risk of harm. You can read our public statement here.
To join HPIG’s data and info sharing working group and become an HPIG member, please contact us at [email protected]
Previous successes
HPIG, Integrated Care Systems and the Health and Care Act
HPIG led the children’s sector’s activity on the Health and Care Bill, working with civil servants and parliamentarians to push for a greater focus on babies, children and young people in the legislation and supporting guidance.
Thankfully, following a powerful intervention by members of the House of Lords, the health needs of babies, children and young people were included in the primary legislation and further statutory guidance.
Children and young people are one of only two groups singled out by the primary legislation in this way. We saw a number of other positive changes including new statutory requirements placed on ICBs to nominate an executive children’s lead, consult with local leaders and collaborate with children and families in drafting plans. ICBs are also required to report annually on how well they are delivering their duty to safeguard children.
Integrated Care Systems and the health needs of babies, children and young people – 2024 report
Following the Health and Care Act HPIG worked collectively to assess how the newly formed Integrated Care Systems were meeting their requirements in relation to babies, children and young people.
In January 2024, HPIG published a report that analysed the strategies and plans of 75% of ICSs to evaluate how they had considered the diverse health needs of babies, children and young people. It provided a snapshot of how well the system was enacting its duties, and highlighted examples of effective approaches to formulating strategies and plans as well as areas where significant improvement is needed.
This report was intended as a helpful follow on from the Act and to support the new system.
2024 General Election
HPIG worked with political parties by setting out a bold new vision for child health in the lead up to the General Election. This ensured that HPIG was ready to work with the next Government and that no momentum was lost in developing a health system that meets the needs of babies, children and young people.