The ten sites chosen to conduct health visitor pilots from childrens centres to target socially-excluded families have been named by the DfES and the Department of Health .
As part of the Governments social exclusion action plan, these sites will be involved in the 7m pilot of a health-led home visiting programme, aimed at helping disadvantaged first-time families from pregnancy until their child reaches the age of two. The pilot sites are in Barnsley, Derby, County Durham, Darlington, Manchester, Slough, Somerset, Essex, London and Walsall.
The announcement coincides with a Government review of health visiting as part of the Modernising Nursing Careers review. Listening days are being held around the country for feedback by health visitors and managers.
Cheryl Adams of the health staff union Amicus said, Hopefully this review will cement the direction for health visiting in the future. The past ten years have seen differing views over the role of health visitors, which has not helped the profession move forward and has resulted in cuts to funding.
The review is expected to conclude that health visitors should focus primarily on families with children under three years old.
The ten pilots will be jointly run by local authorities and Primary Care Trusts and are part of the social exclusion action plan, Reaching Out. The project will focus on three main areas: promoting attachment between mother and baby, improving the mothers health behaviour, and linking her to wider social networks and employment. Health professionals at the pilot sites will receive training and materials to help them deliver services.
A DoH spokesperson said, We want to modernise the career path for health visitors and look at their roles in parenting, early intervention, inequality and social exclusion.
Those wishing to contribute to the review can e-mail ncoandhealthvisiting@dh.gsi.gov.uk.
