Published: 24 January 2003
What’s in a name? - A History of Achievement & Service
Dave Arun reports that Health visitors have welcomed the protection of the "’health visitor" title, following a massive consultation exercise by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
The Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA) is pleased by the NMC’s decision that the title of ’health visitor’ will be protected and that health visitors will form a significant component of the third part of the register, which governs their professional conduct.
The council made its decision after a consultation process that revealed 80% of replies favoured the title of ’public health practitioner’ for the register. However, no name has yet been decided for the third part of the register.
The CPHVA’s director Mark Jones said:
’We’re heartened to see that 80% of the individuals and the organisations agreed with our position that there should be three parts of the register for nurses, midwives and public health practitioners.’
Mark Jones said he looked forward to further details about the name of the third part of the register, which given the overwhelming response in favour, should reflect public health practice.
Meanwhile, the CPHVA has made clear to the NMC that it is open-minded about the possibility of future direct entry to the third part of the register.
In its response to the NMC’s consultation on the new register, the CPHVA said it would not reject the idea of direct entry out of hand, although the issue would need to be explored in much greater detail.
According to the NMC consultation document, as the public health section of the register will be standing along side those of nursing and midwifery, which both have direct entry programmes, it would be logical that the public health section has direct entry.
Such a move will require extensive consultation and should be piloted before implementation.
Mark Jones said:
’It’s clear that there is a significant group of our members who believe their background in nursing has been essential for their practice as health visitors. That doesn’t mean that all aspects of pre-registration nurse training are relevant at a time of considerable change in the workplace.’
’We are keen to work with the NMC as to what aspects of nursing will continue to be needed as part of public health practice.’
The Health Visiting Service
Health visitors are an integral part of the NHS’s community health services, whose aim is to promote the health of the whole community and to help in promoting healthy lifestyles addressing concerns about physical and mental wellbeing.
All health visitors are qualified Registered Nurses, who have at least two years experience before going on to undertake further special training, over at least one academic year.
They have experience in child health, and health promotion and education, which they use to offer & provide practical support & advice, in a host of diverse situations.
Health visitors are the most accessible health professionals in the community and contacting your local surgery or health centre will put you in touch with a health visitor who can visit you at home.
Health visitors are subject to a professional Code of Conduct, which requires them to act in your best interest.
The health of your baby or young child
Every family with children under 5 has a named health visitor, who can advise on everyday difficulties such as teething, sleeping and feeding as well as immunisation programmes, parenting classes, managing difficult behaviour and any special needs your child may have.
Parenting and supporting young families
Health visitors can
- advise on employment and benefit rights
- support fathers-to-be and reassure new fathers about their role.
- Give information on local support networks including ante-natal classes, leisure activities, mother and toddler groups etc.
- advise on options for childcare available locally.
- Provide support for single parents.
- Domestic violence, addressing conflicts within the family giving information and support on parenting and parenting practice.
Your emotional well-being
Health visitors can point the way to specialist help, should you be coping with problems such as:
- Unemployment;
- A recent bereavement;
- Serious illness;
- An unhappy or violent relationship;
- Family conflicts;
- Disability, or
- Settling into a new culture if you have recently arrived from abroad.
Caring for elderly relatives and friends - the special needs of older people
Caring for the elderly can be very rewarding but also highly stressful and there are health visitors who specialise in working with older people and their carers, who can help arrange for respite care from social services and other agencies.
Health visitors can also help older people to maintain their independence by providing information about activities in the locality which will help them stay healthy, advising on benefits and the help available from social services to support them in their homes and by visiting people at home.
Living a healthy life
Health visitors can help you to make sense of the conflicting media messages about health lifestyles by providing practical advice on how to stay healthy.
They also run health promotion groups including quit smoking groups, keep-fit, parenting and baby massage groups and stress management sessions.
Skilled professionals
Health visitors can also help with:
- HI/Aids,
- Screening,
- Alcohol and drug misuse,
- Sexual health,
- Contraception,
- Pregnancy,
- The menopause,
- Disability,
- Housing and homelessness,
- isolation and depression
For more information on health visiting and services, go to
http://www.healthvisiting.org/Healthvisiting.org
Further information
CPHVA web site: www.amicus-cphva.org
The CPHVA represents health visitors, school nurses, practice nurses and registered nurses working in the community in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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