Ministers asked to clarify health visitor
numbers in new children’s plan
12 February 2009
Unite, the largest union in the country, is seeking ministerial
clarification on what the new children’s plan means in terms of the
immediate employment of health visitors.
Unite is concerned that the Vision for a 21st century children's
health service is vague on the numbers needed for what is described
as ‘stronger and better joined up support during the crucial early
years of life including more health visitors’.
Unite’s national officer for health, Karen Reay said: "This
strategy for children is long on aspirations and thin on detail, at
a time when - according to the NHS’s own workforce statistics - a
full-time health visitor post is lost every 27 hours.
"Increased support for targeted programmes, such as Sure Start
and Family Nurse Partnerships will only address the needs of a
small proportion of the population.
"Unite has always maintained that a universal health visiting
service is required for all. Parents have made it clear that they
want a universal home visiting service and a relationship with
their own health visitor.
"Child protection, child development, and postnatal depression
are themselves universal, as they occur in prosperous suburbs and
towns, as well as in more disadvantaged areas.
"The whole purpose of this plan will crumble if there are not
enough trained and experienced health visitors implementing a
universal programme of assessment and care for families and
communities.
Karen Reay said that Unite, which embraces the Community
Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, will be asking
ministers:
- How many more health visitors are budgeted for and when will
they come on stream?
- Have the cuts in the health visitor education budgets been
restored to enable this to happen?
- Why is this strategy moving away from an international, highly
respected model of a universal home visiting health visitor
service?
- Why does the government persist in a policy that fails to
recognise the need for a universal health visiting service,
particularly in the wake of such tragedies as the Victoria Climbe
and Baby P cases?
Karen Reay said: "Unite has always supported this government’s
‘family-friendly’ agenda since 1997, but remains concerned that the
rhetoric is not matched by the depressing reality on the frontline,
which our members report back to us on a daily basis."
ENDS
NOTES TO NEWS EDITORS:
For further information, please ring:
Karen Reay, National Officer, Health: 07798 531
004
David Fleming, National Officer, Health:07798
531013
Obi Amadi, Lead Professional Officer, Policy & External
Affairs: 07780 955 936
Cheryll Adams, Lead Professional Officer, Strategy &
Practice Development: 07712 678 281
Shaun Noble, Communications Officer (Health Sector): 020 7420
8951 or 07768 693 940
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