Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS in England exposes the state of healthcare for children and young people and the need for skilled nurses to tackle the problem. Hospital waiting lists have grown more quickly for children than adults. Children are increasingly likely to have long hospital stays due to a rise in prevalence of life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, and there are other growing health inequalities. The history of children’s nursing explains why there is a need for specialist nurses to care for them.