Health visiting

Age group:
0-4
Age group:
Pregnancy
Service:
Health visitors along with school nurses, are trained specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN) who are qualified nurses or midwives that have done further training at an advanced level.
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Health visitors, school nurses, staff nurses, community nursery nurses and healthcare support workers work together as part of the Public Health Nursing Children’s Services across the Bradford District.

The Health Visiting service is broken into small teams that work across the district, each team working closely with the local family hubs to provide families with support. The teams are made up of health visitors (Specialist Community Public Health Nurses), staff nurses and community nursery nurses.

What services do health visitors provide?

Our health visiting team provides a range of services to support you on your parenting journey, from getting ready to be parents and giving birth, to your child’s toddler years and starting school.

The team has knowledge and skills in a wide range of areas including feeding and nutrition, parent infant relationships, mental health and child development. We can provide a range of support to help you with, for example infant feeding, behaviour or sleep. We work with a range of different people like your GP, the midwife or other health and social care professionals.

Where needed and in agreement with you as parents or carers, we can make a plan of care which may include for example the nursery or child minder, or it may be to provide information for you or to complete a referral to another service.

Read a more detailed summary of how the Health Visiting service can support you and your family

When do we contact you?

We will usually visit you and your baby at six key stages from 0-2 ½ years, to check you and your baby are healthy and developing well. We will offer you an appointment before your baby is born, after your baby’s birth then 6-8 weeks, 3-4 months, 9-12 months and 2-2 ½ years.

We can answer your questions, help with your concerns and provide support with any additional health needs. When your child is school age, health reviews and any further support needs are provided by the school nursing provision in our Public Health Nursing team.

It’s important to know that if you’re worried about something in between visits, you can always contact us to get extra support; you do not need to wait.

How can you access the health visiting service?

The service visits all mothers prior to the birth of their baby. When a baby is born we are notified automatically and parents will be contacted to arrange a visit, so you don’t need to worry about setting this up. We also see families who have just moved to the area so if you haven’t heard from us then, please do give us a call.

Usually the first appointment with a family, including the birth visit just after your baby is born, is at home. After this, appointments may be in a clinic or another community setting.

We are available between 8.30am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday not including bank holidays. If you need help outside these hours, you should contact the local service that usually provides out-of-hours support like your pharmacy, or for more urgent queries, 111.

To contact us please call 01274 221223.

 

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Further information

Support with breastfeeding

There is lots of support available to you if you need help breastfeeding. Visit this page for more information and links to support groups, advice and how to contact your on-duty health visitor.