Shocking 60% Rise In Stabbed Teens Admitted To Hospital, NHS Reveals

More than 1,000 teenagers were admitted to hospital with a knife wound last year as the number of serious stabbings surged. 

New NHS figures show that admissions for all knife injuries have increased by almost a third since 2012 – from 3,888 to 5,052 last year.

However, stabbings involving victims aged between 10-19 increased nearly twice as fast, with 654 hospital admissions in 2012-13 up to 1,026 last year – a rise of around 60%.

Professor Chris Moran, national clinical director for trauma for NHS England, warned that violent crime destroys lives and diverts doctors’ time away from other essential patient care.

“Changes to NHS trauma services have saved an extra 1,600 lives in recent years, but hospital visits linked to knife crime and other violence is a major cause for concern and puts extra pressure on our expert staff,” he said.

“The NHS Long Term Plan sets out more improvements to emergency care services across the country, with more people able to get faster urgent care without the need for an overnight stay in hospital.

“However, far too many young people are able to buy knives on the high street, and we need councils and retailers to work together to stop this.”

More victims will have received treatment in AE or other urgent care settings where the numbers are not recorded.

Doctors warned that high street sales of knives is helping to fuel the rise in stabbings, and called on retailers to do more to stem the tide of available weapons.

The NHS warning comes as the government confirms it is considering tougher laws for people carrying a weapon.

Many high street shops are breaking the law by selling knives to young people. 

A 20-year-old knife attack survivor, K, recently told HuffPost UK that it’s also easy to purchase through online marketplaces such as Amazon.

Since being attacked, he now carries a knife himself and says “I’m never without my Rambo. I have to make the precautions to ensure that it doesn’t happen to me again.” 

Health service data show that there were 5,222 instances where people were treated for knife injuries, many of whom will need long-lasting care for both the mental and physical impact of their trauma.