Health Visitors Responsibilities

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Roles and responsibilities of health visitors Health visitors are a crucial part of the healthcare team. Their aim is to improve the health of families and children in the crucial first few years of life. Working in the community, they prevent illness and promote health and wellbeing. A health visitor is a qualified and registered nurse or midwife who is specially trained to assess the health needs of individuals, families and the wider community. They aim to promote good health and prevent illness in the community by offering practical help and advice. It is a diverse, satisfying and challenging role that involves bonding with families over time. It suits nurses and midwives with an interest in health promotion, public health and working…show more content…
This may include: referring families to specialists, such as speech and language therapists arranging access to support groups, for example those provided in the local Sure Start children’s centre, organising practical support - for example working with a nursery nurse on the importance of play.They also contributing to multidisciplinary services in safeguarding and protecting children Health visitors are trained to recognise the risk factors, triggers of concern, and signs of abuse and neglect in children, as well as what must be done to protect them. They are often the first to recognise that the risk of harm to a child has escalated to a point that procedures need to be implemented to protect them. They maintain contact with families while formal safeguarding arrangements are in place so families receive the best possible support during this time. Health visitors are involved in every stage of the child protection process, including serious case reviews, and they are sometimes called upon to appear in court to explain the action taken.They providing additional services through or in partnership with Sure Start children’s…show more content…
Health visitors see parents and families in a variety of settings, including: their homes clinics GP surgeries Sure Start children’s centres. They also spend a lot of time working with other agencies and healthcare professionals who share a common commitment to children’s development. These include: GPs allied health professionals voluntary agencies. Health
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