WIREDGOV

Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, responded to the Institute of Health Visiting report ‘Health Visiting in England: A Vision for the Future’ 

“Health visitors working in local government play a pivotal role in helping ensure all children get the best possible start in life.

“This report is an important contribution to the debate on the future of health visiting and in our joint efforts to improve the delivery of the Government’s Healthy Child Programme.

“Closer working between health visitors and other services including housing, social care and early years education encourages healthier lifestyles, builds social and emotional development and reduces health inequalities.

“However, if we are to truly improve our children’s prospects, we need a more joined-up approach across the board, including a properly resourced, sustainable workforce plan to support children’s wellbeing and the Healthy Child Programme.

“The Queen’s Speech is an opportunity to give councils the powers and funding to keep the next generation healthy. Offering greater training and upskilling opportunities would also encourage more people into health visiting and to stay in the profession for longer.”

Notes

As part of our #CouncilsCan campaign, the LGA has set out radical plans for how the Queen’s Speech on October 14 can be used by the Prime Minister to reignite the devolution process to ensure all parts of England reap the benefits of having greater powers and funding to improve services such as housing, transport, and health and social care.

iHV launches ‘Health Visiting in England: A Vision for the Future’