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The Association of Directors of Social Services last week warned a House of Commons Health Select Committee that the proposed changes to primary care trusts could lead to the Every Child Matters agenda’s influence on the NHS becoming even weaker.

The committee, which is investigating the government’s proposals to cut the number of primary care trusts and change the way they work, was told by ADSS honorary secretary Liz Railton that the implementation of the national service framework for children could also be affected.

“This programme [Every Child Matters and the NSF] only has a fragile foothold within the NHS at present and there are fears of further distraction,” she said.

Railton went on to tell the committee that rising obesity in young people was a serious concern. “Tackling this will require activity beyond the boundaries of the NHS, whatever its organisational form," she warned.

She added that it was essential that any changes to PCTs, and the proposals to allow GPs to commission local services, took this into account.