Government 'at risk of missing health visitor target', warns MP
Janaki Mahadevan
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The government is already at risk of missing its target to recruit an extra 4,200 health visitors, a Labour MP has warned after figures released in parliament showed fewer than 700 people undertook health visitor training in 2010/11.
Warrington MP Helen Jones asked how many health visitors were in post in May 2010 and December 2010 and also how many health visitors were in training in each region.
In the South East Coast strategic health authority, there were 35 recorded trainees and 552 professionals in post in December last year, despite the government setting a target of 984 health visitors by 2015.
In response, public health minister Anne Milton revealed that by December last year there were 8,125 health visitors in post and 675 trainees.
Speaking to CYP Now, Jones said this figure would only cover professionals who are due to retire or leave the profession.
"It is clear from these figures that the government is not on target to increase the number of health visitors in the way it said," she said. "The number in training compared to the numbers we have already, there are probably only enough in training to replace those who retire or move on.
"There seems to be no evidence there that the government is attracting a large number of people into training, which is what you need to meet the target it has set."
Jones added that the latest figures were worrying, coupled with other government measures that are impacting on early years provision.
"I am already very worried about what the government is doing to children in the early years; the closure of many Sure Start centres, for example, and the financial policies that I think adversely affect families with children," she said.
"Health visitors are crucial to supporting families and making contact with them early in a child’s life is vital because everyone has a health visitor and so there is no stigma involved. They are excellent at working with families that are in particular need of help and supporting them and their children to get the right start in life.
"If the government does not meet its targets along with the other things it is doing that are damaging young families, I think we will see further problems in the future."
