Published: 13 December 2007
MPs in crunch talks on Enfield Health Visiting Crisis
Urgent talks with local MPs were held on Tuesday, 11 December to highlight the health visiting crisis in Enfield.
Enfield Primary Care Trust (PCT) has one of the worst ratios in England between the number of health visitors and children under the age of five. It also has the highest infant mortality rate in London.
Now Unite/Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association is meeting with Edmonton MP, Andy Love and Enfield North MP, Joan Ryan in a bid to put pressure on the PCT to tackle the crisis.
Unite/CPHVA understand that the number of health visitors employed by the PCT has fallen by 13 whole time equivalents (WTE) since the start of 2007.
The Unite Regional Health Co-coordinator for London, Tina Mackay said:
“The position is very grave – health visitors are not being replaced; there are no trainee health visitors coming thorough; and managers are relying on less qualified staff to take up the slack.
There is no cover for those on maternity-leave, or those off sick, or those taking early retirement.
The situation is compounded by the fact that according to London Health’s own figures 25% of health visitors in the capital are over 55 and could, in theory, retire tomorrow”.
Earlier this year, the influential Family & Parenting Institute (FPI) put Enfield PCT at 137 out of 140 PCTs in England, with each of 34 (WTE) health visitors responsible for an average of 627 children under the age of five.
Ms Mackay added:
“Since the FPI report the crisis has worsened as 400 families from the neighbouring borough of Haringey have moved onto the Enfield register and the number of health visitors has slumped dramatically.
Our members are at breaking point and there is the possibility that children’s welfare could be put at serious risk”.
Further information
CPHVA website
Family & Parenting Institute (FPI)
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