The report, Facing the Future: A review of the role of health visitors,said current problems with the health visiting service includedconfusion among parents about access to health visitors and whatservices to expect, and an image of health visitors being defensive andresistant to change. It concluded that the health visiting serviceshould prioritise delivering intensive programmes for the mostdisadvantaged families; promoting infant, child and family mentalhealth; reducing health inequalities such as higher infant mortalityrates in deprived communities; and supporting better parenting in areassuch as safeguarding children and domestic violence.
Over 1,400 health visitors and local leaders contributed to theresearch, led by Ros Lowe, chair of the Queen's Nursing Institute.
Mary Macleod, Family and Parenting Institute chief executive, welcomedthe review but said 'it is rather opaque on the detail of how it willmeet parents' needs.'
She added, 'We also surveyed Primary Care Trusts and found there werewildly varying numbers of health visitors up and down the country, andvery little evidence of a needs-based service. Training was also cut by40 per cent last year.'
The report is at www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/publications.
There is little mention of practicalities such as supporting mothers tobreast-feed or helping families where there is domestic violence.'