Health Visiting

The aim of the Health Visiting service is to promote the health of the whole community and to help in promoting healthy lifestyles addressing concerns about physical and mental wellbeing.  Health visitors are an integral part of the NHS’s community health services. All health visitors are qualified nurses or midwives, with additional special training and experience in child health, and health promotion and education.

Many people think that health visitors only visit new babies and their families at home – this is not the complete picture. Health visitors aim to promote the health of the whole community. You will find us at your local GP surgery working alongside practice staff, or at the local health centre or child health clinic. Some contacts may also take place in a child’s nursery setting.

Services that the Health Visitors provide:

• Support, information and guidance in all areas affecting physical, mental and emotional health both before and after a baby is born
• Referral to appropriate specialist services if required
• Support and guidance in the management of difficult behaviour, eating problems, sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, toileting, bed wetting etc. Information and support on infant feeding and nutrition
• Information on safety issues
• Information on the management of minor illness
• Promotion of childhood immunisation programme
• How to access this service
• Every family with a child under 5 years of age will be assigned a health visitor. If you are not sure who your health visitor is you can telephone your nearest health centre or GP practice to ask

• Opening Times

  The health visiting services operates Monday to Friday: 9am-5pm.

• Referrals

  Health visitors take referrals from all services as well as self -referrals.

  Self- referrals can be made by contacting the allocated health visitor or nearest office.

• Resources

  Antenatal Visit

  Baby Brain development

  Tiny Happy People – Developing your Child’s Language and Communication Skills

  Speech and Language – Pinterest

  Safer Sleep

  Feeding and caring for your baby

  NHS help and advice during pregnancy, birth and parenthood

  Antenatal Exercises for Mum

  New Birth Visit

  Breastfeeding

  Bottle feeding

  Safer Sleep

  Head Turning Preference and Plagiocephaly

  Post-natal Exercises for Mum

  Children’s Symptom Checker

  6-8 Week Review

  Immunisations

  Vaccination Webinar for Parents

  Tummy Time 

  Babywalkers – are they necessary?

  14-16 Week Review

  Sleep

  Sleep hygiene in children and young people | Great Ormond Street Hospital

  Children – The Sleep Charity

  Weaning

  Weaning Made Easy

  First Steps Nutrition

  Henry – Health, Exercise, Nutrition for the Really Young

  Instagram page supporting families with eating and mealtimes

  6-9 Month Review

  Play

  Home Safety – Advice for under 5s

  1 Year Review

  Immunisations from 1

  Why is the MMR vaccine important for you and your family?

  Healthy Eating

  Speech 1

  Speech 2

  Intoeing Gait

  2-4 year olds

  Toilet Training 1

  Toilet Training 2

  Positive Parenting- Tips for Helping with Children’s Behaviour

  Tiny Happy People – Developing your Child’s language and Communication Skills