Some NHS trusts are ‘dragging their feet’ on health visitor
recruitment, says Unite
29 July 2011
Health visitors are expressing concern about how NHS employers
are funding the 4,200 extra health visitors in England promised by
the government.
A series of regional meetings on the future of health visiting
by the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, a
professional section of Unite the union, has highlighted members’
fears that trusts are dragging their feet in recruiting the 4,200
new health visitors. The final event takes place on Monday 1 August
at Unite’s London headquarters, supported by the Department of
Health (DH).
Unite has campaigned for seven years to reverse the decline in
the profession.
The DH operating framework has identified an extra three per
cent revenue growth in PCT (primary care trust) allocations and
QIPP savings (quality, innovation, productivity and prevention) to
be used for priority areas in health care organisations, of which
recruiting more health visitors is one.
Unite lead professional officer, Obi Amadi said: ”At these
events, our members are telling us that some employers are dragging
their feet over recruiting newly trained health visitors, even
though extra funding has been made available by the DH for this
very purpose.
”Our activists are also saying that some managers appear to be
unclear and unfocused about the funding of new health visitors,
given there are severe financial constraints throughout the NHS
generally.
”This is not something that trusts can prevaricate on. Any trust
we hear about that is being tardy in recruiting new health
visitors, we are reporting to the DH which, in turn, is raising
with the relevant strategic health authorities and PCTs.
”The latest tranche of trainee health visitors finish their
training in September and there is no reason whatsoever for any of
them not to find a health visitor post, given the extra money that
is now available.
”Unite is on high alert for any backsliding by trusts.”
You can follow regular updates of the conference proceedings on
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/unite_CPHVA
ENDS
Notes for news editors:
For further information please contact Obi Amadi on 07780 955
936 and/or Unite communications officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693
940
