Published: 03 August 2007
Hounslow Children at Risk
Children are at increased risk of poor health as the number of health visitors in Hounslow slump, according to health trade union, Unite.
Children and families in Hounslow are getting a ‘postcode lottery’ raw deal compared to their neighbouring primary care trusts where resources are not so tightly stretched.
Overworked & demoralised health visitors working for Hounslow Primary Care Trust (PCT) are in the front line of visiting families with young children in their homes.
But as the borough’s birth rate soars, the number of health visitors has more than halved in the last six years.
Now their union - Unite/Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association - has gone public to raise public awareness on a number of key areas which include:
· Huge caseloads
· High incidence of domestic violence
· Child protection cases are ‘frightening’
· Unidentified cases of postnatal depression
· Homeless families are increasing
· Many families don’t have English as their first language
· ‘Very high levels’ of stress are experienced by staff
One health visitor claimed the service is ‘skimming on the edge of the ice into dangerous practice’ and another said: ‘We are absolutely sinking’.
Health visitors are worried that opportunities are being missed for early identification and referral, resulting in poorer outcomes for children.
Unite/CPHVA figures show that in October 2001, there were 37 whole-time equivalent health visitors, but by July 2007, this had slumped to 18.
There were no qualified school nurses working in the borough during this entire period – contrary to repeated government guidelines for one qualified full-time school nurse for every secondary school and its cluster of primaries.
For Hounslow, this should mean a minimum of at least 14 school nurses.
Unite/CPHVA is suggesting that the trust ‘recalibrates its £266 million-a-year budget as a matter of urgency’ to tackle the crisis in community nursing services.
Hounslow was one of only 11 PCTs in England not to reply to a recent Freedom of Information request by the respected Family & Parenting Institute to reveal the number of health visitors per children under the age of five.
If it had, it would have shown Hounslow to be one of the worst resourced trusts in England.
Lead Professional Officer for the Unite Health Sector, Cheryll Adams said:
“While we appreciate that the PCT’s managers are grappling with massive problems in a diverse and disadvantaged borough with stretched resources, the health visiting service is approaching ‘melt down’.
This situation can’t continue, as there is increased risk to the health of children if there are not enough health visitors to visit homes and staff clinics on a regular basis.
Health visitors in Hounslow can no longer even offer a home visit to all families with a new born baby.
Unite/CPHVA will be campaigning to reverse this dire situation and is more than happy to work with the PCT to this end”.
Further information
Unite/CPHVA
Family & Parenting Institute
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