Government in danger of failing health visitor drive

The government has recruited less than a quarter of the 4200 health visitors David Cameron promised would be in post by 2015 new figures obtained by Labour’s Shadow Minister for Childcare and Children Lucy Powell MP show.

With less than 18 months to go the number of new health visitors has increased by just 974 in the last three years. Labour is today warning that the Government is in danger of missing the health visitor target. As a result health visitors are under increasing workloads and pressure.

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Childcare and Children Lucy Powell MP, said:

“Health visitors are a vital support for new mums and dads. They work with children’s centres to identify any problems early and offer families and children the support they need in the early weeks and months of life.

“However, David Cameron has slashed the early intervention budget and there are 578 fewer Sure Start centres than in May 2010 despite his promises to back Sure Start. This is another broken promise from David Cameron at a time when there are more children being born and families are struggling to cope.”

Ends

Notes for Editors:

- The latest workforce data from the Department of Health shows the total number of health visitors nationally is 9006 full time equivalents. Just 23.3% of the 4200 extra health visitors required by 2015 have been recruited.

- Lucy Powell (Manchester Central, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made against his target of increasing the number of health visitors by 50 per cent by 2015.
•         Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 21 November 2013, c1003W)
Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Conservative)
The Government is committed to growing, by April 2015, the health visitor workforce by 4,200 and transforming health visiting services to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities.
The latest workforce data (for August 2013(1)) shows the total number of health visitors nationally is 9,066 full time equivalents.
(1) Published on 21 November 2013 by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.
This is 974 more health visitors compared to the May 2010 baseline of 8,092, and equates to 23.2% of the 4,200 extra health visitors required by April 2015. Further significant growth is expected between September and November 2013 as health visiting students complete their training and join the workforce.

- Lucy Powell (Manchester Central, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health
(1) what the retention rate of health visitors has been (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area in each year since 2010;
(2) how many health visitors were working in (a) each constituency, (b) each local authority and ©total in each of the last four years.
•         Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 21 November 2013, c1004W)
Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Conservative)
The total number of health visitors in England in each of the last four years (by full-time equivalent) is shown in the table.
Information about the number of health visitors working in the last four years is not available at either constituency or local authority level.
Information about the retention rate of health visitors is not recorded centrally and is not available in either of the formats requested.

As at July each year:

Health visitors (full-time equivalent)

2010

7,965

2011

7,714

2012

8,080

2013

⁽¹⁾9,103

⁽¹⁾ Until December 2012, health visitor workforce data was published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre as part of the Hospital and Community Health Services workforce publication. It was based on use of the electronic staff record (ESR) and thus did not include health visitors employed in organisations such as local authorities and social enterprises that do not usually use the ESR, A new health visitor minimum data set was published from December 2012 which includes health visitors employed by organisations not using the ESR. This supports the Government’s commitment to recruit 4,200 more health visitors by April 2015 and better reflects the true health visiting workforce.