Teenagers Suffering Lifelong Trauma from Untreated Chronic Pain as Children Face Lengthy Delays in Accessing Physiotherapy, Warn Experts

Children in the UK are facing severe and lasting health consequences due to “unacceptable” delays in receiving physiotherapy, with some waiting up to 18 months for critical treatment, according to experts.

Physiotherapists are raising alarms that teenagers are at risk of enduring lifelong trauma from untreated chronic pain, while younger children, as young as four, are being subjected to harmful delays. The delays in treatment, particularly during a child's crucial years of growth, can have long-term and irreversible effects on their health.

Some families are even forced to travel over 200 miles to access NHS physiotherapy services due to local shortages or delays. Others are opting to pay privately for urgent care to ensure their children’s needs are met.

The Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP), a network of professionals in the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, surveyed 155 UK-based staff members specializing in the treatment of babies, children, and teenagers. The survey revealed deeply concerning results, with many physiotherapists raising concerns about the impact of delays.

One physiotherapist shared the case of a four-year-old child who had to wait an astonishing 18 months for treatment. Another professional, with two decades of experience, warned of the consequences for a whole generation of adults facing poor physical and mental health due to a lack of timely care.

The survey found that 94% of respondents were worried about the growing difficulty children are experiencing in accessing timely physiotherapy services.

Sara Hazzard, Assistant Director at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, condemned the situation, emphasizing that children suffering from delays in rehabilitation for illnesses and injuries are experiencing distress and harm that could affect them for the rest of their lives. She called the situation “unacceptable,” asserting that the UK is failing an entire generation of children.

Staff shortages and funding cuts to services are largely responsible for the delays, with NHS services unable to create enough new positions to meet the rising demand for care, Hazzard explained. She urged that urgent action be taken to ensure that families no longer have to worry about their children’s health and well-being based on their ability to pay for care.

A physiotherapist working with children under six in a neurodisability service highlighted “severe understaffing” as a key factor in the crisis. The physiotherapist noted that the team is overwhelmed, with the workload becoming unsustainable, and the lack of resources is making it increasingly difficult to provide the care these children urgently need.

Georgina Ashdown, Vice-Chair of the APCP, described the situation as having a “devastating gap” in the support available for children, pointing to critical areas like musculoskeletal therapy for long-term conditions, rehabilitation after strokes, and ongoing support for conditions such as cerebral palsy. She explained that long waiting lists and staffing shortages are resulting in “irreversible harm” for children.

Ashdown expressed concern that by failing to provide timely care, health professionals are not only risking the current health of children but are also laying the groundwork for broader health, social, and economic problems in the future.

“While timely rehabilitation can dramatically improve young lives, the available services are currently insufficient across both acute and community settings,” Ashdown said.

In response, a Welsh government spokesperson explained that Wales has a target waiting time of 14 weeks for children’s physiotherapy, with 98% of children seen within the target timeframe.

Meanwhile, Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray emphasized the importance of physiotherapists in children’s rehabilitation, noting that the number of physiotherapists in Scotland has increased by 27.5% over the last decade.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland acknowledged the concerns raised and assured that it is committed to improving timely access to essential physiotherapy services.

The Department of Health and Social Care, overseeing the NHS in England, recognized the challenges within the NHS and promised to work toward ensuring that services would be available to meet the needs of all children in the future.

The Guardian. (2025, January 31). Children in UK suffering ‘irreversible harm’ due to physiotherapy delays. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/31/children-in-uk-suffering-irreversible-harm-due-to-physiotherapy-delays?CMP=share_btn_url