Agenda item

To consider a report on Health Visiting Re-Procurement.

6.1       The Chairman introduced the item and emphasised the importance of the Health Visiting Service, however it had been acknowledged that more could be done to support people and the joint re-commissioning and re-procurement of the service sought to achieve this outcome. She stated that consideration needed to be given as to how the Health Visiting Service tied in with other services, particularly children’s services such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and other ways of reaching out to young people. The Chairman advised that there would be information on the children’s workstream in the Health and Wellbeing Hubs Programme report for the 15 September meeting.

6.2       Eva Hrobonova (Deputy Director of Public Health) then presented the report and advised that the views of users and proxy users were being sought, including where health visitors were operating with other parties, as this had also obtained useful feedback. Consideration of what health visitors did during their visits would be undertaken and to working even closer with other services and partner organisations. Members noted that a further report would be presented to the Board on a review of the service and a number of different delivery models were being considered. There would also be closer cooperation with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in helping to deliver the Health Visiting Service and there would be regular updates to the Board on the service.

6.3       During Members’ discussions, the importance of the Health Visiting Service providing help the whole family as well as children was emphasised. A Member spoke of the importance of a joined-up approach in providing effective safeguarding of 0-5 year olds and this included taking such an approach during the commissioning stage. He commented that some GP practices used to have health visitors available, although now most practices would be considered fortunate if they had a health visitor available for one day a week to provide support for families, however co-locating of health visitors would be of some help. Another Member stated that it needed to be recognised that whilst some families got real benefits from having a health visitor support them, other families did not have such a great need, and this needed to be taken into consideration when assessing who to target for the service, with the appropriate evidence needing to be provided. She also felt that there needed to be more progress in providing single reviews for children rather than separate ones depending on the service being provided.

6.4       Members commented on the desirability of relevant organisations sharing the same information during the re-procurement process. Whilst health workers often worked alone, it would also be beneficial if they could meet with other professionals, such as paediatricians, at least once a month.

6.5       In reply to issues raised, Eva Hrobonova advised that the whole household and setting would also be considered as well as the child in delivering the Health Visiting Service. The need to take a joined-up approach and picking up the connecting role health visitors played was acknowledged, whilst also considering allocation of resources in providing what was an important early years’ service for some, but not all, families. Eva Hrobonova also acknowledged that a single review of cases was also desirable and that there should be more efforts to move towards this.

6.6       The Chairman concurred that the Health Visiting Service did not need to provide the same service for all and that there needed to be further consideration of how the service linked with other services and in shaping the service and delivering it where it would be most effective.