The political deadlock at Stormont is damaging children’s health, medics have warned

Political deadlock in Northern Ireland is risking the health of children, with no real progress in child health policy, doctors have warned.

A panel aimed at preventing child deaths and a strategy for dealing with child obesity are among the key issues which haven't been actioned because of the two-year stalemate.

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Northern Ireland has the highest child mortality rate in the UK.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) Ireland has called for decisive leadership that puts 'children's health before politics'.

It warns that the mental health of children and young people is progressively slipping into deeper levels of crisis. It also states that a quarter of children are overweight or obese.

The findings are outlined in a new report, 'State of Child Health Northern Ireland: Two years on', which warns of danger ahead if the impasse is not resolved.

The power-sharing Executive collapsed in January 2017 in the wake of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scandal.

A series of talks to restore the institutions have stalled amid disagreements between the DUP and Sinn Fein around issues such as the Irish language and legacy.

Today's RCPCH bulletin looks at progress made against a series of recommendations from its 2017 State of Child Health report.

It reveals there has been no progress across a range of issues.

These include:

Preventing child deaths. The Child Deaths Overview Panel is yet to be implemented - despite the legislation to establish it being passed - making it harder to learn from child deaths here and prevent cases reoccurring. The Protect Life 2: A Strategy for Suicide Prevention remains in draft form and without a focus on children, meaning they continue to be neglected;

Service improvement. Failure to capture high quality child health data is making it harder to identify and meet the needs of children and young people;

Delivering high quality health education to children. Standardising the Personal Social Health and Education curriculum, and ensuring it tackles issues around mental health, nutrition, sex and relationships, bullying and social inclusion, resilience, drugs and alcohol, across all primary and post primary schools has not been achieved;

Preventing child obesity. There are no plans to extend the measurement of children so data is captured after birth, before school and in adolescence, nor plans to reduce the proximity of fast food outlets to schools, colleges, leisure centres and other places where children gather;

Developing research capacity to drive improvements in children's health - the report states the impending departure from the EU makes this even more concerning.

Dr Ray Nethercott from RCPCH said the "chaotic" political paralysis was risking the health of young people.

"It has been two years since the Northern Ireland Executive collapsed and our optimism that the situation would be resolved and power restored, has now turned to dismay," he said.

"This scorecard reveals child health policy has stalled and where progress had been made before dissolution - a draft Children and Young People's Strategy and a draft Suicide Prevention Strategy - the absence of Ministers and MLAs has meant that very little policy development or implementation have been achieved since.

"What I find most alarming, especially in light of the recent Hyponatraemia-related deaths Inquiry, is that Northern Ireland remains without a Child Death Overview Panel. Without it, we cannot fully learn why children die and prevent future deaths.

"Our political system lacks leadership and as a result, is in a chaotic state. I urge politicians from all political parties to put an end to this damaging deadlock, put children's health before politics and put child health at the top of the agenda before it is too late."

Today's report does note progress in several areas, including road safety. A new graduated driver licensing system is expected to be introduced in Northern Ireland in 2019/20, and some areas are trialling 20mph zones to create safer environments for children to walk, cycle and play.

The Department of Health has continued to monitor progress against the Breastfeeding - a great start: a strategy for Northern Ireland 2013-2023 report, and have published a mid-term review on its implementation.

Dr Nethercott continued: "Given the current political crisis in Northern Ireland, it is miraculous that any policy has been introduced.

"Northern Ireland has the highest child mortality rate in the UK across all age groups.

"After the first year of life, during the teenage years are where they are most likely to occur."

He added: "As many of these deaths are potentially avoidable, policies on improved road and home safety will most certainly help."

Belfast Telegraph