Prioritising Early Childhood: Academy of Medical Sciences Report

Lord Sterling of Plaistow Excerpts

Monday 11th March 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Markham (Con)]

I agree with the noble Baroness and my noble friend Lady Cumberlege about the importance of continuity of care in the maternity space. We are investing resources as part of the long-term workforce plan to increase the number of people trained in maternity and in this area generally. To give another example, we are investing in family nurses by increasing the number of training places by 74%, because it is understood that we need the workforce to provide all these services in an ever more complex world.

[Lord Sterling of Plaistow (Con)]

My Lords, is not one of the problems that children today do not get anything like the exercise we used to do in the old days?

[Lord Markham (Con)]

Wearing the tie I was awarded for being man of the match in the rugby against the Irish parliament this weekend, which we won, I totally agree about the importance of exercise in all walks of life. Social prescribing is vital. We are expanding the number of PE services available for children, because exercise is vital.