According to a new study, there has been a steady rise in the number of children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions over the last 17 years.
Researchers at the University of York conducted the 'Make Every Child Count' study to determine the prevalence of life-limiting conditions using routinely collected hospital and death certificate data from hospitals in England.
The findings showed a significant increase in the number of children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions from 32,975 in 2001-2002 to 86,625 in 2017-2018. With the current trends, the number of children with life-limiting conditions is expected to rise by at least another 11 per cent by 2030. Furthermore, it was found that the prevalence of life-limiting conditions is the greatest in babies aged <1 year, and that more young individuals with such conditions are living to the age of 19 years.
The charity, 'Together for Short Lives' has urged the Government, NHS and others to ensure that seriously ill children and their families have access to the necessary lifeline services.
Lead author, Professor Lorna Fraser, Director of the Martin House Research Centre at the University of York, said: "Hopefully these findings will help commissioners and service providers to work together to ensure that all these children and young people have access to accessible and age-appropriate health services."
