Nursery World - Families missing out on health visitor checks

A survey of health visitors suggests that more than a quarter of families do not receive health visitor reviews, and highlights a large rise in health visitor caseloads.

The survey by the Institute of Health Visiting of 1,200 health visitors said that government cuts to local authority budgets have impacted on the delivery of the universal health visiting service.

Currently, health visitors carry out five mandated checks: one antenatal check, one straight after birth, one at six to eight weeks, one at one year and one at between two and two- and-a-half years.

Local authorities took on responsibility for under-fives' public health in 2015 and are legally required to commission the checks.

However, this is currently being reviewed by the Government and a clause enforcing this requirement comes to an end in March 2017.

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