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Health Visitors

The Role of the Health Visitor

Health Visitors are qualified nurses with additional training in family and community health. They are different to other nurses because they specialise in improving the public's health rather than focusing on illness and disease, to improve you, your families and the health of your community. Like all community staff, they work closely with staff at your doctors surgery (family doctor, practice nurse, district nurse etc.). They work closely with agencies such as nursery, social work and the voluntary sector and will refer clients when necessary. Health Visitors also work in partnership with community groups to provide health promotion and address local issues.

Health visitors can work with all age groups, however the majority of clients are families with pre-school children. The main responsibilities are as follows:

Developmental checks of babies and toddlers
Child health clinics
Advice on immunisations
Advice and support on pregnancy, parenting, feeding (including breast feeding), sleeping, crying, speech
Health promotion, including pre-school children and child accident prevention
Identifying people suffering from postnatal depression and providing support
Child Protection
Family nutrition
Family planning and well women advice

Your health visitor can also help with

Continence problems
Disabilities
Support for carers
Depression
Victims of abuse
Stopping smoking
Family stresses & bereavement.

You can contact your health visitor at your local health centre, clinic or through your doctor's surgery.