Children’s health

EVERY CHILD SHOULD RECEIVE TREATMENT

Children from the Ukraine, or other areas outside the UK, are entitled to the same care at every stage as British children. However, this is not the case, often the GP is not happy to have to use an interpreter, and with a watch in hand stands over the child and indicates that 10 minutes have passed. Our aim is to support children, and their parents, to access the highest level of medical care.

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have a clear right to fulfil their developmental potential and maintain the highest attainable level of health. They also have the right to appropriate health services to help them achieve these goals. Protecting and promoting children’s health is an important goal in itself. As children’s early experiences are key to shaping their long-term health and wellbeing, they are also key to improving the health of the whole population and reducing health inequalities in the long term.

Public health has an important role to play in promoting children’s health and wellbeing. NHS Scotland provides all children and their families with a universal health promotion programme known as the Children’s Health Programme. This programme includes various elements such as formal screening for specific medical problems, routine immunisations for children and a structured programme of needs assessment, health promotion and support for parents through regularly scheduled contact with community nurses, school nurses and other health professionals. ISD publishes a range of information from the Child Health Programme, including information on immunisations, infant feeding, child development and children’s weight and height.

Health Services also provides additional emergency care and ongoing care for children with mild illnesses or more serious long-term health problems. ISD publishes a range of other important information on children’s health, such as information on children’s hospitalizations. Details are also available on the use of the Support Needs System (SNS), which is an information system used to facilitate the care of children with disabilities and related support and care coordination needs.

The importance of children’s health and care is recognized in a number of current Scottish Government publications, notably Early Years; the national strategy to tackle health inequalities; NHS Scotland’s overarching policy Better Health, Better Care; the Relevant for Every Child programme; the overarching policy on children’s health services for a healthy future; and the detailed policies of the children’s health programme in Health for All Children 4: recommendations for implementation in Scotland and the new.

You can also use the links in the left-hand margin to navigate to the various sub-topics relating to your child’s health. More children are surviving the early years than ever before.
Yet our work is far from over – more than five million children under the age of five die each year. Growing inequalities, pandemics and the climate crisis will make the situation even worse.
We are determined to make a difference. We are putting pressure on governments and working with global partners to improve the health of millions of people. Every day, our doctors, nurses and medical teams are saving lives in hard-to-reach places around the world. We need to make sure all children get the care they need to have the best start in life.

HOW SERIOUS THE PROBLEM IS

HOW CAN WE HELP?

HOW CAN WE HELP? – FREE ASSISTANCE IN FINDING A HOSPITAL FOR YOUR CHILD

MISSION

HOW CAN WE HELP? – FREE ASSISTANCE IN FINDING A HOSPITAL FOR YOUR CHILD