Issue - meetings

To receive the report updating on the Health Visiting Service, presented by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NHS Haringey.

The Committee received a report introduced by Julie Quinn (Deputy Chief Executive (CEO) – NHS Haringey) and Eleanor Brazil (L.B. Deputy Director – Children’s Services) in response to concerns about the Health Service and the safeguarding of children raised by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. 

It was noted that there was a national shortage of Health Visitors but Haringey’s Health Visiting Service experienced less staff turnover than neighbouring boroughs.  The national average was for a Health Visitor to be working with approximately 600 children each but in Haringey it is decreasing towards the London average of 479Health Visitors.  The Committee requested individual data on the number of children per Health Visitor in neighbouring boroughs.

The Committee was advised that the Health Service would consider different models of care and offer improved financial packages to encourage the recruitment of Health Visitors.

The Committee expressed concern about the suspension of the universal service and asked how the Health Service would ensure children/parents requiring support did not go unnoticed.  The Committee noted that a full assessment into safeguarding had been completed before the decision (taken by Great Ormond Street hospital management team) had been made to suspend an element of universal services and provide services through a different model ensuring Health Visitor checks at birth and again at 2 years old, which would be in use from April 2010.  The new model would prioritise resources for families requiring regular support.  A hotline for worried families who were not receiving regular support was available and well utilised and further services were accessible to all. 

The Committee expressed concerns that families, particularly those from hard to reach groups, might not necessarily phone the hotline and follow-up visits to all families by fully trained Health Visitors was vital.   It was noted that a range of services would still be available through partner agencies such as GPs and Children Centres and there was evidence that families did utilise these services; the new model would enable better intervention from all responsible agencies.

The Committee asked that the Council’s formal response to the suspension of universal services and the new Health Visitor model be provided to the Councillor Newton, Lead OSC Member for Children’s Services, and the new model be brought to the Committee at a future meeting.

The Committee asked that further information be provided on whether NHS Haringey conducted follow-up checks on 8-month old children.

Concern was raised regarding the educational psychologist service provided by the local authority. The Deputy CEO informed the committee that clinical psychology was part of the new model of health visiting and provided support to families with mental health issues and where children’s behaviour caused concern.

Current posters, showing where children’s services and other professionals would get involved in child protection, displayed by NHS Haringey would be circulated to Committee Members.

The Committee noted the deputation by Sue Hessel on behalf of Haringey Federation of Residents’ Associations Vulnerable Groups, including:

• Concern that the Service will rely on self-referrals and that there will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8