News · 26 January 2026
NHS Community Care Waits Catastrophic for Thousands of Children
Photo by Tugce Gungormezler on Unsplash
Thousands of children in England are facing unacceptably long waits for NHS community care, including hearing and speech therapy, and disability support. Approximately a quarter of the 300,000 children on waiting lists have been waiting over a year. NHS leaders and doctors describe the delays as catastrophic, harming children's health and development. The government acknowledges the issue and plans to improve access to care through greater investment in community services. One family spent £4,000 for private speech therapy after waiting two years.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs