Sick children go without toys as virus hits hospital budgets

MORE than half of hospitals have no budget for children’s toys, a charity has warned.

Starlight, a charity up to establish play opportunities for seriously ill children, found that of the 510 UK hospitals, hospices and health organisations it works with across, 53 per cent had no budget for play resources.

It added that more than half of hospitals did not have access to play specialists – even though it is 20 years since the Government said every child should have to access to one.

The charity said of the 135 organisations that did have funds for play, the budget of the majority was less than £500 per year – and that those with the largest budgets (£5,000 and above) were mainly large and specialised children’s hospitals.

Some NHS play specialists also told Starlight that they had sometimes bought toys and other resources themselves.

Cathy Gilman, chief executive of Starlight, said: “Sadly for children in hospital, access to play and play professionals is a permanent problem which has undoubtedly been exacerbated by

Covid and that needs an ongoing concerted effort to resolve.

“Our report looks at the integral role that play has in the wellbeing of children.

“We know that children need access to play as a crucial part of their development and to help them cope with life’s challenges.

“This is never more important than when they face the anxiety and uncertainty of serious illness, long-term conditions and hospital stays. Yet our recent research shows that more than half of hospitals have no budget for play and a third of hospitals do not have dedicated play professionals.

“Families have told us, when their children are treated in different hospitals, that the difference in play provision is clearly obvious.

“The same child can have a very different hospital experience. We need to see distraction and play available in all hospital and healthcare settings”.

Starlight said there are huge inequalities in the provision of play in NHS hospitals, while opportunities for play can be very limited.

Research suggests that play eases children’s anxiety and stress during hospital stays, while the distraction can reduce their pain.