Trauma and mental health problems are a real threat to children in hospital denied opportunities to play, according to a new report by health play charity Starlight.
In Prioritising Play in Healthcare in Areas of Deprivation, published to mark Play in Healthcare Week (14-18 October), Starlight reveals that a lack of play in healthcare settings disproportionately impacts children experiencing deprivation, with higher rates of hospitalisation among this group.
Starlight’s report states that out of the 2.6 million children’s hospital admissions and attendances in London per year, two-thirds (67%) are for children and young people (CYP) experiencing deprivation – among the highest percentage in England.
The report reveals the link between play in healthcare settings and improved mental health for all children, and the huge gaps in health play professional roles and resources across England.
Here is a regional breakdown of the number of admissions and attendances of CYP experiencing deprivation:
|
Region
|
Number of NHS Acute and Specialist Trusts
|
Number of hospitals with CYP services
|
Total hospital inpatient admissions, outpatient and A&E attendances
|
Number of admissions and attendances of CYP experiencing deprivation (%)
|
|
East Midlands
|
8
|
25
|
1,045,640
|
595,410 (57%)
|
|
East of England
|
14
|
32
|
1,580,100
|
620,000 (39%)
|
|
London
|
22
|
49
|
2,604,135
|
1,734,590 (67%)
|
|
North East
|
7
|
27
|
895,290
|
611,665 (68%)
|
|
North West
|
24
|
52
|
2,270,630
|
1,545,665 (68%)
|
|
South East
|
18
|
54
|
2,307,055
|
882,690 (38%)
|
|
South West
|
13
|
52
|
1,202,310
|
547,415 (46%)
|
|
West Midlands
|
15
|
26
|
1,719,060
|
1,179,075 (69%)
|
|
Yorkshire and Humber
|
14
|
35
|
1,479,510
|
943,155 (64%)
|
|
National
|
135
|
352
|
15,103,730
|
8,659,665 (57%)
|
Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Starlight, said: “Going to hospital can be scary and overwhelming and no child and their family should have to navigate the intense emotions around this experience alone. Research shows that play, orchestrated by trained health play professionals, provides children with the feelings of calm and safety they need to get through hospitalisation without trauma.
“It is as shocking as it is sad that children experiencing deprivation are more likely to be affected. Research has long established that areas of deprivation have higher rates of hospitalisation, but the fact that children from these parts of England are more likely to develop long-term mental health problems as a result is heartbreaking.”
To address these inequalities, Starlight is joining with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and many others to call for the government to instate a new cabinet minister for children, not just education. The new administration has said that its election will usher in “a new era of child-centred government where children come first”.1 This must mean leadership at the highest level on children’s wellbeing, health and healthcare, as an essential part of a long-term strategy for the nation’s health. Starlight’s research demonstrates why play should be at the heart of such plans.
Starlight estimates there are currently more than 4 million adults in the UK living with mental health problems such as PTSD as a result of negative experiences of healthcare in childhood. Preventing this from happening would not only transform lives, but also save NHS funds.
Starlight has calculated that to achieve this vital preventative work, more than double the current number of play practitioners are needed. Currently, there are only 1,146 health play professionals, many of whom only work part-time, to cover the annual 15.1 million hospital admissions and attendances for children in England. Starlight recommends a ratio of one full-time health play professional for ten admissions and attendances per day, equating to 2,230 fulltime play professional posts per year.
Hamera Elahi, Health Play Specialist, Newham Hospital, said: “Every day, I see how play helps reduce children’s worries, anxiety and trauma. It takes their mind off why they’re in hospital. Play can help reduce the time children spend in hospital. For example, play can help with children not having to be sedated if they’re going for an MRI. I can prep a child so they feel calm and at ease, and then they can go home a lot sooner than if they had been sedated. This also frees up nursing time.”
- Only one in six hospital trusts (17%) have health play professionals working in the evenings.
- Only two in five trusts (40%) have health play professionals working weekends.
- Less than a quarter (24%) of trusts have a designated budget for play.
Featured Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.