More youngsters injured by knives
MORE than 1,000 youngsters aged 10 to 19 were admitted to hospital with knife wounds last year – and the number is rising, data suggests.
Figures for England show the number of hospital admissions among the age group has jumped 57% from 654 in 2012-13 to 1,026 in 2017-2018.
Admissions for knife injuries across all age groups have gone up by almost a third since 2012, from 3,888 to 5,052 last year.
NHS England, which issued the data, said many more victims will have received treatment in A&E or other urgent care centres where the numbers are not recorded.
The data shows people aged 20 to 29 accounted for more than 1,900 of the 5,502 cases noted in 2017-18. Those aged 10 to 29 made up 60% of the cases.
A trauma surgeon at one London hospital said he saw two stabbings a day.
Professor Chris Moran, national clinical director for trauma at NHS England, said: “Violent crime destroys lives, devastates families and diverts doctors’ time away from other essential patient care.
“Changes to NHS trauma services have saved an extra 1,600 lives in recent years, but hospital visits linked to knife crime and other violence is a major cause for concern and puts extra pressure on our expert staff.
“The NHS long-term plan sets out more improvements to emergency care services across the country, with more people able to get faster urgent care without the need for an overnight stay in hospital.
“However, far too many young people are able to buy knives on the high street, and we need councils and retailers to work together to stop this.”
Martin Griffiths, consultant trauma surgeon and lead for trauma surgery at The Royal London Hospital, said: “We see on average two stabbings every day.
“It’s a lot, but looking after people is what we do and we’re rightly proud of our hospital teams as world leaders in the care that we give.
“But it doesn’t stop with us. A stabbing has relentless repercussions that stretch far beyond the victim.
“You never forget the sound a mother makes when given the devastating news that her child has died.”
He added: “I see the wasted opportunities of young people stuck on hospital wards with life-changing injuries.”
The new figures, compiled by NHS Digital, chime with crime statistics that have sparked warnings of a knife violence “epidemic”.
On Thursday, it was revealed the number of fatal stabbings in England and Wales has hit its highest level since records started more than 70 years ago.
Last week, Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced plans for new knife crime prevention orders that could be imposed on suspects aged 12 or over.
Police voiced support for the powers, but critics have warned they risked unnecessarily criminalising young people.