Concern at continuing decline in health visitor numbers
10 November 2011
Concern has been expressed at the continuing decline in the
health visitor workforce by Unite, the country’s largest union.
However Unite, which embraces the Community Practitioners’ and
Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA) said that it was heartened by
the government pledge that 1,800 more health visitors would be
trained this academic year 2011/2012 – but that ‘the proof of the
pudding is in the eating’.
Last month, public health minister Anne Milton, a former
district nurse, told the Unite/CPHVA annual conference that the
latest health visitor workforce figures were ”really
disappointing”.
The latest figures from the NHS Information Centre show that the
number of qualified, full time equivalent (FTE) health visitors
slumped from 8,285 to 7,714 between September 2009 and July this
year – a reduction of 571 FTE jobs or 6.9 per cent.
Unite lead professional officer Obi Amadi said: ”We sincerely
hope that the profession has reached the nadir in terms of numbers.
Unite has campaigned hard over the last six years to reverse the
shocking decline in health visiting.
”We are heartened that the number of training places for this
academic year has jumped to 1,800, an increase of 1,200 over the
previous year. However, we still have worries about the will and
ability of the strategic health authorities to fund future training
places – the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.”
Unite has welcomed the coalition’s pledge that 4,200 more health
visitors will be recruited by 2015, but has called for health
visiting budgets to be ring-fenced.
Unite welcomed the small increase in the number of school nurses
from 1,152 (September 2009) to 1,158 (July 2011) as ‘a tiptoe in
the right direction’, but that much more needed to be done to
provide adequate qualified school nurse coverage in England.
ENDS
Notes to news editors:
For further information please contact Unite communications
officer Shaun Noble on 07768 693940
