Sector casts doubt over Tory health visitor pledge

18 January 2010 1 min read Neil Puffett Early Years Health

Campaigners have called on the Conservatives to map out how exactly they would deliver on a pledge to increase numbers of health visitors by 50 per cent, other than scrapping Sure Start outreach workers.

Tory leader David Cameron last week reiterated his commitment to increasing the total health visitor workforce by 4,200 from the current 8,764.

But as existing professionals struggle with dwindling staff numbers and high caseloads amid pressure on public spending, campaigners fear such a promise may not be followed through.

Recruitment of health visitors is already proving problematic in Haringey. In May last year there were 22 full-time-equivalent health visitors compared with 38 at the time of Baby P's death in August 2007.

Obi Amadi, lead professional officer at the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, said the Tories are yet to come out with the details of how they will increase numbers.

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