Health Visitor Islington

Job description

A health visitor is a qualified nurse with post-registration experience who has undertaken further training and education in child health, health promotion, public health and education. Health visitors work as part of a primary Healthcare team, assessing the health needs of individuals, families and the wider community. They aim to promote good health and prevent illness by offering practical help and advice.

The role involves working within a community setting, often visiting people in their own homes. It primarily involves supporting new parents and pre-school children. Working as a health visitor may also include tackling the impact of social inequality on health and working closely with at-risk or deprived groups. There may be variations in the role in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which may include working with adults from the wider community.

Typical work activities

Activities vary according to the nature of the individual role but may include:
*using specialist Healthcare interventions to meet the health-related needs of individuals, families, groups and communities as well as assessing and evaluating their effectiveness;
*working as part of a primary care trust team, which may also include GPs, midwives, community nursery nurses, health visitors' assistants, Healthcare assistants and community staff nurses;
*advising and informing new parents on issues such as feeding, sleeping, safety, physical and emotional development, weaning, immunisation and other aspects of childcare;
*leading and delivering the Healthy Child Programme , providing support from early pregnancy to a child's early weeks and throughout their childhood - providing a gateway to other services as required;
*working in partnership with families to develop and agree tailored health plans addressing individual parenting and health needs;
*managing parent and baby clinics at surgeries, community and Sure Start Children's Centres and running specialist sessions on areas such as baby massage, exercise and child development;
*working collaboratively with children's centres, schools, preschools and action groups in the local community;
*providing emotional support regarding issues such as postnatal depression, bereavement, disability, family conflict and domestic violence;
*supporting government initiatives to tackle child poverty and social exclusion, such as Sure Start ;
*agreeing local health action plans as well as managing and leading interdisciplinary teams involved in their delivery;
*diagnosing minor conditions and prescribing low-level medication;
*supporting and training new health visitors and support staff;
*maintaining and updating client records;