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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Andrew Gregory Health editor

Thousands of children in England facing ‘unacceptable’ NHS delays

Hospital ward
Data gathered under freedom of information laws by the Liberal Democrats showed that 14,628 operations were cancelled in 2022, the highest figure for the last five years. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Thousands of children experiencing “unacceptable” long waits for NHS treatment face a “lifelong” impact on their health, a senior doctor has warned, as shocking figures reveal that nearly 15,000 paediatric operations were cancelled over the last year.

Dr Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said the mounting treatment backlog in England risked “serious” and “devastating” physical and mental consequences for children and their families.

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