09.02.11
Government pledges thousands more health visitors and a ‘rejuvenated’ service
The Government has announced plans to “rejuvenate” the health visiting service.
Families with young children will get improved help and support, said health minister Anne Milton.
The Health Visitors Implementation Plan promises an extra 4,200 health visitors by 2015 and an improvement in the quality of the health visiting service for children and families.
The Department of Health said the service will “develop, support and promote” the Your Community Service, the Healthy Child Programme, offer a rapid response to problems like postnatal depression and sleepless babies, and offer ongoing support to disadvantaged families.
Milton said: “Health visitors play such an important role – they give families that vital extra bit of support they need in their children’s early years. We need more of them so they can reclaim their role in the heart of our communities and at the centre of family life.
“As well as new recruits, we also want to encourage those who have left the profession to return. And we will offer existing health visitors the chance to refresh and develop their skills - helping to improve career opportunities and retention.”
Royal College of Nursing Chief Executive and General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: “The Royal College of Nursing welcomes this initiative as it is well known that health visitors make a significant impact on the health of young children, families and communities. They play a vital role in disease prevention and the early identification of health and social problems.
“Health visitors carry out a range of measures which have a lifelong positive impact on the health and quality of the life of children. The Royal College of Nursing welcomes the opportunity to work closely with Government in its endeavours to break what can sometimes be a cycle of deprivation.”
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