NHS is failing to support vulnerable young people, says children's minister

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/may/23/nhs-failing-vulnerable-young-people

The children and families minister has attacked the health service for failing some of the country's most vulnerable young people.

Sarah Teather said the chance of a child receiving much-needed speech and language therapy was "between low and nil", while the wait for a wheelchair could be "really long".

Teather, who spent most of her own secondary school days in a wheelchair after suffering from a viral infection, said the health service "has not always been good at doing its fair share for children in this position". Families were often left as the "piggy in the middle", she said in an interview with the Guardian.

Health workers often agreed with parents that a child needed a wheelchair, incontinence pads or a form of therapy, but "nobody pays for it" and it fails to arrive, she said. This could severely impair a child's chances in the future, she warned: "A six-month wait for speech and language therapy can be critical; an 18-month wait can be really critical."





me: until there is groomed a generation of politicians who will take on the neo-libs - here and abroad -- the deficit hawks, supply siders will continue to win.

[LeftishBrit]

1. You're right Sarah. Now there's one thing you can do. Get out of this toxic government!

Once-decent LibDems like you are enabling the right-wingers who gladly deprive vulnerable people of the help that they need.

At least people (in and out of government) are beginning to speak out more.

[xchrom]

2. +1