Covid-enforced changes seen as improvements

Friday 24 July 2020

Changes to the ways Health visitors have operated during lockdown have reportedly proved so popular they are being kept, Health & Social Care has announced.

Helplines, telephone consultations and meetings via Microsoft Teams were all introduced to allow services to continue to be delivered in spite of restrictions put in place over the past few months.

As well as this, the usual drop-in ‘well baby checks’ had to be cancelled, and were replaced with individual appointments where parents can have their baby weighed and discuss concerns they may have.

Many of these changes have allowed for more flexibility and privacy for those using the services, and feedback given to staff in Phase Five has identified several changes as improvements to the service that they now intend to keep.

“Covid-19 forced us to change how we work and, on reflection, these changes have made our services better,” said Debbie Pittman, Service Manager of Child Health. “Feedback from both service users and health visiting staff has been positive,”

“As a result, the health visitors intend to continue this way of working and hold clinics in this way at Lukis House. This means that community clinics in other parishes will no longer be held.”

“Whilst we appreciate that this is a change of practice, we anticipate that the additional flexibility and privacy will be welcomed.”

Clinic appointments can be booked to have their baby’s weight checked, for developmental assessments or for help and advice on issues such as feeding, sleeping, behaviour, or parental mental health.

The health visitor helpline will also continue to assist parents and carers with any queries about their baby or child. Those in need can ring the health visitor hub on 01481 707368 for immediate help and advice.

Pictured Top: some of the changes made to the health visitor’s service to accommodate parents’ needs during lockdown will be kept moving forward, after feedback proved positive.