The briefing by the Nuffield Trust, as part of its joint QualityWatch programme with The Health Foundation, found the community care waiting list for children rose by 58% since 2022 compared with a 23% increase for adults.

Nuffield Trust Fellow and author of the briefing, Jessica Morris, said: ‘Children across the country are waiting far too long for the community care they desperately need. For the families affected it can feel like life is on hold while they're stuck waiting for support.'

Over half of children and young people on the waiting list are waiting for community paediatric services (55%), including support for developmental problems and diagnosing and managing conditions like autism and ADHD – and 21% are waiting for speech and language therapy services.

For adults, 44% of those on the community waiting list are waiting for musculoskeletal services with the largest percentage increase of any community service since 2022 in weight management services for adults up 512%.

The number of community staff, meanwhile, grew by just 1% between 2010 and 2025 while the number of adult hospital nurses increased by 42% and children's hospital nurses increased by 93%.

The authors called on the Government to consider a waiting time target for community services and to shift resources to reflect its drive more neighbourhood and community care.

Rory Deighton, acute and community care director at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘Community services are under immense pressure and to tackle these long waits for essential healthcare, we need to shift the focus from treating illness to preventing ill health later in life. This requires changing how contracts and payments within the NHS work so community services can expand their share of activity – in line with the Government's ambition to shift more care into communities. The evidence is clear: early intervention in children and young people's health not only provides them with a healthier future, but also reduces pressure on the NHS by keeping them healthier for longer.'#

Chief executive of NHS Providers, Daniel Elkeles, said: ‘This report underlines NHS trusts leaders' worries that a forgotten generation's life chances are being harmed due to delays accessing care.

‘Preventing ill health among children and young people is central to ensuring the next generation are able to live well, thrive and contribute to society and the economy.

‘We have highlighted great examples of trusts working in new and innovative ways to improve services for young people, and the lessons they have drawn.

‘These include the need for a wholesale shift at a national level which puts them at the heart of policy making.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘This Government is working at pace to reverse more than a decade of neglect in our health service, and while there is lots more to do, we are making significant progress. 

‘Since July 2024, we have delivered millions more GP appointments, overhauled the NHS App to make it easier to book and manage appointments, and hired thousands of extra staff into our health service.

‘Our 10-Year Health Plan sets out our ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever including by bringing together neighbourhood health services to work in partnership with schools and nurseries and provide the support kids need when they need it.'