Health Visiting Today? I hope not!

[Guest guest]

I am a Health Visitor and CPT who 'left' the profession 6 years ago now to persue a a multi agency role in Child Protection. I deliberated hard about leaving health visiting, I was and am passionate about the difference the service can make universally - not only to vulnerable groups. First time mothers (even one's without predefined vulnerabilities...social deprivation etc) aren't born with the confidence to successfully breastfeed, wean well, place baby back to sleep, cope with sleepless nights, adjustment to motherhood etc etc etc.... Health Visiting should be there to be there, advise, support, screen for pnd and essentially HEALTH VISIT.

Recently my niece - a 26 yr old married professional has had her first baby, a sudden birth at 35 weeks whilst she was shopping in London - she lives in a rural county up North. She gave up breast feeding at 2 days because of conflicting advise from midwives (grrrr...) Her HV visited her at home at 7 days??? wondered why she didn't have a red book and left asking my niece to come to clinic in 2 weeks. I saw my niece and beautiful great (!) niece at 16 days. My niece was (not unusually) struggling and knackered, but she didn't know who her HV was, how to contact her, when clinic was, why she had to go to clinic, not to mention struggling with a now windy bottle fed baby with little family support ( I live 2 hours away)

Being concerned I took it upon myself to phone the HV base and highlight that my niece needed some support. I asked if primary visits had changed from 11 days to 7, to which I was asked who I was and why I was phoning. I came clean, said I was calling about my niece but I was also a HV and wanted to just tip the wink that there was a Mum here with a small baby, struggling with wind and who needed some support and HEALTH VISITING. They told me not to worry, things had changed in the last 5 years but they would deal with it. They then phoned my niece, asked if she was unhappy with the service as I had phoned to say she was (?) to which my niece tearfully said she wasn't. The HV said "oh good" and again told her she should come to clinic.

I am furious and embarrassed about the service. I desperately want to phone the local HV manager but daren't as I dont want any more fall out for my niece who is still struggling with a windy bottle fed baby. She hasn't been to clinic and phones me if she wants any advise or support.

Sorry to rant but it is the grass roots of the profession that underpins our status

Village

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