Published: 07 April 2009
Government Promises to CPHVA have turned out to be just more Spin
The health visiting crisis in Hounslow, west London, is still unresolved – nearly two years after Unite, the largest union in the country, first raised the issue.
Unite is now seeking a meeting with health minister, Ann Keen, whose Brentford and Iselworth constituency is covered by NHS Hounslow.
In August 2007, Unite, which embraces the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association, revealed that the health visiting service in the then Hounslow Primary Care Trust (PCT) was heading for ‘meltdown’ as the number of whole time equivalent (WTE) health visitors had slumped to 18 – down from 37 (WTE) in 2001.
In April 2009, the number of health visitors has fallen further to 15 WTEs.
Unite/CPHVA Professional Officer, Dave Munday said:
“This is a crisis that is still with us. Hounslow is a very ethnically diverse area with a high birth rate.
The risks to children’s health could be very serious, as there are not enough trained and experienced health visitors to meet the demands of a growing population.
The trust appears to finally recognise the risk factors. However, it is adopting an approach – where health visitor roles are being performed by less qualified colleagues – which may put children and families at risk.
This approach is also totally against current government policy and the recommendations of Lord Laming’s recent review into child protection.
If the trust were to implement our recommendations, highlighted by Laming, they would need to employ 33 more health visitors.
We wish to work with Ann Keen in her role as constituency MP and government minister to boost the number of health visitors in Hounslow as a matter of urgency”.
Recently, Ms Keen was quoted as saying that she wanted to see extra 1,000 health visitors recruited nationally – well short of the 4,000 that Unite/CPHVA say are required if Lord Laming’s recommendations are to be met.
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