Children's treatment 'appalling'

The treatment of disabled children in hospital has been described as "appalling" by a children's watchdog.

Children's Commissioner Nigel Williams was commenting on the first government report on medical treatment for disabled children in Northern Ireland.

He said the report "was damning" but the Department of Health said its inspectors "found many examples of good practice".

The report, compiled for the department, made 80 recommendations

Violent

These included more respite care for disabled children and more hospital beds for those with serious mental health problems.

According to the report, such children were sometimes cared for alongside older patients who had sexually inappropriate or, on occasions, violent behaviour.

The report also said disabled children were often treated on adult wards, something that national guidelines say should not happen.

The SDLP's Patricia Lewsley described the report as "shocking".

"Disability services are the poor relations within the health service and children's services are further still down that list," she said.

Sinn Fein's Geraldine Dougan said she hoped the report would lead to changes.

"I welcome this report and hope that it leads to a greater awareness, both inside and outside the health service, of issues surrounding the needs of disabled children and their families," she said.