Changes in adolescents' planned hospital care during the COVID-19 pandemic: analysis of linked administrative data

To describe changes in planned hospital care during the pandemic for vulnerable adolescents receiving children's social care (CSC) services or special educational needs (SEN) support, relative to their peers.

Observational cohort in the Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data database (linked de-identified administrative health, education and social care records of all children in England).

All secondary school pupils in years 7-11 in academic year 2019/2020 (N=3 030 235).

Receiving SEN support or CSC services.

Changes in outpatient attendances and planned hospital admissions during the first 9 months of the pandemic (23 March-31 December 2020), estimated by comparing predicted with observed numbers and rates per 1000 child-years.

A fifth of pupils (20.5%) received some form of statutory support: 14.2% received SEN support only, 3.6% received CSC services only and 2.7% received both. Decreases in planned hospital care were greater for these vulnerable adolescents than their peers: -290 vs -225 per 1000 child-years for outpatient attendances and -36 vs -16 per 1000 child-years for planned admissions. Overall, 21% of adolescents who were vulnerable disproportionately bore 25% of the decrease in outpatient attendances and 37% of the decrease in planned hospital admissions. Vulnerable adolescents were less likely than their peers to have face-to-face outpatient care.

These findings indicate that socially vulnerable groups of children have high health needs, which may need to be prioritised to ensure equitable provision, including for catch-up of planned care postpandemic.