Ministers have been urged to publish the health disparities white paper (file image)
(Picture: PA Archive)Over 1,000 child health professionals have written to Prime Minister Liz Truss urging her to urgently publish the White Paper on Health Disparities by the end of the year, amid fears that inequality will “level down the future health” of British children.
In an open letter, a total of 1,016 signatories warned the Government that failing to address child poverty could have a “lifelong impact” on a generation of young people.
They wrote: “Evidence shows that poverty is a key driving factor of these inequalities. We know from our own practice that children living in poverty are more likely to have poor health outcomes. This includes low birth weight, poor physical health, and mental health problems.
“Importantly, this is not just an issue of individual children’s health, but the health of our nation. We see the lifelong impacts of health inequalities throughout our careers. The impacts of poverty and child health inequalities will follow a child through their life.
“The issues we see today not only level down the future health of our nation, our economic potential and will cost more to address in the future.”
The signatories said that the White Paper must “make clear how child poverty and health inequalities will be reduced” and “recognise that children and young people are a distinct group”.
“Your Government has the opportunity to shift the dial on millions of children’s life chances – we urge you to seize it,” they added.
The letters were sent on Monday to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said: “The fact that hundreds of paediatricians have signed this open letter is a clear signal to governments that change is crucial.
“For members of the child health workforce, inequalities are visible and ever present in our clinical interactions. It’s in the impact of poor quality housing, the heavily polluted streets children walk along to school, and the physical health impact from a lack of nutritious food as well as rising mental health concerns.”
