Agenda item

The Assistant Director of Public Health updated the Panel on the nationally mandated health visitor service which transferred to local authorities in October 2015. 

The service provided expert information, assessments and interventions for babies, children and families and their role was central in improving health outcomes and tackling inequalities.  The service provided four levels of service – community, universal, universal plus and universal partnership plus.  The Panel noted the data provided on the number of new births per ward, which totalled ,1979 across Slough in the first three quarters of 2015/16.  Thirty-seven health visitors were required to provide the service for Slough population, and whilst the number of births remained less than planned at transition, this gap was filled by the new families arriving in the borough.  Maintaining workforce levels was recognised as being crucial to the successful delivery of the service and plans were in place to recruit to a number of vacancies.

The Panel discussed a number of aspects of the report including the working relationship with other partners.  At the conclusion of the discussion, the update was noted.

Resolved –  That the update on the delivery of the nationally mandated health visiting service be noted.