UK Doctors Warn of Worsening Child Health as Health Visitor Numbers Shrink

Full text

Readers respond to a warning from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on a ‘national embarrassment’

We were pleased to see your report ( UK children will be one of unhealthiest generations in decades, doctors say, 14 July ) on the deteriorating health of UK children, based on a study by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. However, it was disappointing to see no mention of the shrinking health visitor workforce and the impact that this has on the health and wellbeing of young children and their families.

Health visitors are described by Unicef UK as the “backbone of the early years … the safety net around all families”. A long-established and trusted profession, health visitors are specialist public health nurses who work with families to improve health and reduce inequalities. They provide the only universal service that sees babies and children in their own homes.

Continue reading...