Hundreds more Health Visitors for NHS South Central

Over 300 more Health Visitors are to be trained across the NHS South Central region to improve the health and wellbeing of local children and families.

The local NHS is looking for qualified nurses, midwifes and student nurses expecting to gain NMC registration this year, to start training this September. Health Visitors are currently needed to work in communities across Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Slough.

Jill Pellett, Acting Chief Nurse for the NHS South Central region, explains: “We are expanding and strengthening the Health Visiting profession to meet the rising birth rate. 50,000 babies were born in the NHS South Central region last year. We need to make sure that all babies grow into healthy and safe children and have the same opportunities to thrive later in life.”

“We are looking for qualified healthcare professionals, passionate about the health and wellbeing of children who are looking for a new career opportunity. This is an exciting time to join a rejuvenated profession which offers a rewarding and dynamic career.”

Health Visitors ensure a healthy start for children giving advice and support to new mothers (e.g. immunisations, support with breastfeeding and diet, health and development checks), they improve parenting confidence and have an important role in safeguarding children and referring onto specialist services.

Jill Pellett, Acting Chief Nurse, added: “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 also know that strong prevention through excellent health visiting practice is the best way to safeguard children and families.”

Trainee Health Visitors gain a fully funded degree in one year or two years part-time and receive a salary whilst training.

Trainee Health Visitor, Jodie Cox, from the Alver Valley team in Hampshire, said: “I have worked with a variety of families and have been deeply impressed by the support I’ve received throughout my training from my practice teacher, who has a wealth of knowledge and experience. Health Visitors really do make a huge difference to the lives of the children and families they work with. I know I’ve made the right decision to move from nursing to health visiting and will be proud to join the profession when I qualify.”

Angie, from Portsmouth was inspired to train as nurse and then as a Health Visitor after benefiting as a parent from the support of health visitors through a local Sure Start project. She said: “Sure Start encouraged me to attend local meetings and slowly my confidence started to come back. I made lots of new friends and they really listened to me as a parent.”

This is part of a national recruitment drive to find an extra 4,200 Health visitors for England by April 2015. Buckinghamshire and the Solent area are among 20 new ‘Early Implementer Sites’ which will lead the way in building a new modern health visiting service and profession.

Public Health Minister Anne Milton said: “Developing the Health Visitor workforce is critical to rejuvenating the service so it offers a rapid response for urgent issues, access to child rearing expertise and the resource to deliver ongoing support.

“Now is an exciting time to join what promises to be a rewarding, dynamic and essential service.”

Apply by 1 May 2011 at www.southcentral.nhs.uk/healthvisitor

ENDS

1. For all media enquiries please contact Sarah Eastman, Communications Officer on 01635 275613 for all other enquiries please click here to view the Health Visitor pages
2. The Health Visitor Implementation Plan sets out a call to action to expand and strengthen health visiting services http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_124202