Health visiting reforms

The NMC said the reforms will consolidate learning from a number of initiatives from across the UK.

The changes are taking place as part of a programme of work emphasising the vital role of health visitors and specialist community public health nurses.

Professor Dickon Weir-Hughes, NMC chief executive, said: ‘There is widespread agreement that targeted activity on health improvement and prevention positively impacts on communities.

‘Health visitors have a pivotal role in tackling the serious public health challenges that have emerged across the UK in the last decade.

‘They should be leaders in public health working across professional and organisational boundaries.

‘This is a view that is shared by the NMC and the chief nursing officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

‘Our work will build on much of the work that has been led by the four UK health departments.’

He said the developing consensus is that health visiting should be concerned with the health and wellbeing of children, young people and families, while acknowledging that protection is an integral part of the role.

Professor Weir-Hughes added: ‘We will work with our partners across the UK to ensure that health visitors have the skills and knowledge that they will need to make a positive contribution to the modern public health agenda.’
 
The first phase of the work will look at the knowledge and skills that health visitors will need in order to deliver public health priorities.