NHS staff still lack training after Baby P

THERE are worrying gaps in NHS child protection services in the wake of the Baby P case.

A government review said only 54 per cent of staff in each NHS trust who should be trained in child protection have up-to-date training. Regulators described the figure as "worryingly low".

About 65 per cent of GPs either do not have appropriate training or there is no data to say whether they do or not, according to the report from the Care Quality Commission.

The study says: "There appear to be gaps in the processes covered by child protection policies. We are particularly concerned with the large proportion of trusts that do not have a process for following up children who miss outpatient appointments."

Today's study was based on a detailed survey of 392 NHS trusts. It said more than one in 10 trusts "did not appear to comply with the statutory requirement to carry out Criminal Records Bureau checks for all staff employed since 2002" and highlighted almost 30 trusts which say they are not complying with child protection guidance.