14th November 2023
We are delighted to launch a new and improved area of the iHV website specifically for SCPHN student health visitors. The iHV is committed to enabling and supporting the professional development of SCPHN students across all four nations of the UK. Our ambition is to support and encourage students as they journey through their formal education programmes and progress to become newly qualified SCPHN health visitors, registered with the NMC.
The new and improved area of the website facilitates a space where student health visitors can access a wide range of iHV resources to meet their learning needs in theory and practice. We appreciate that everyone learns in different ways. Our resources have been designed to consider a range of learning preferences, from our Good Practice Points, voices blogs, and podcasts, to iHV Insights and Networking events, where students can book to attend live, engage in Q&A opportunities with experts, and enjoy networking opportunities. We understand students have very busy pre-arranged learning schedules and appreciate it might be difficult to attend some live iHV events. To ensure that no one misses out, our Insight events are recorded and resources/slides are available to view on our website. All of this and so much more is available for iHV SCPHN student health visitor members, including access to published research papers, news and views, useful links to UK wide policy, guidance, and legislation relevant to academic studies and everyday health visiting practice.
Amanda Holland, iHV Professional Services Lead:
“Before I joined the iHV, I was a senior lecturer at Cardiff University where I also managed the SCPHN programme for health visiting. Having gained a PGCE in education for health professionals, a Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy, and with many years’ experience of supporting and understanding the needs of student health visitors, I felt ideally placed to lead on work to improve iHV support for SCPHN student health visitors.
“Being a student health visitor can be a very exciting, difficult and challenging time for postgraduate students, both academically, in practice, and personally, as they juggle the varying demands of SCPHN programmes.
“The SCPHN student health visitor area of the iHV website is a tremendous new resource for students where they can access everything in one place, to support and compliment their studies, and achievement of proficiency in health visiting practice. Not only that, the Top Tips for Students resource, Good Practice Points on Emotional Wellbeing at Work, and online networking opportunities, are ideal for supporting students with ideas on looking after themselves and to successfully achieve award during a very challenging year or two of studies.”
Alison Morton, iHV CEO said, “I am delighted to see this new ‘Student Health Visitor’ area of our website launched today, driven by Amanda’s leadership. At the iHV, we truly value our student health visitors, who represent the future of our wonderful profession and are already making such a difference to the families that they are working with. Investing in their learning and development lies at the heart of our Mission at the iHV, to promote excellence in practice for the benefit of babies, children and families across the UK. We wish all of them every success with their studies and I hope that these resources make their journey a little bit easier.”
We are delighted with the feedback we have received so far:
Claire Black, Newly qualified health visitor and co-chair of the iHV SCPHN student health visitor Networking Events:
“It looks fantastic! I think that as new SCPHN students, universities could promote this fantastic resource in the induction week, as from experience I only found out about the iHV late into my course and would have really appreciated the resources available to students. I can’t think of anything I’d add. The webpage is easy to navigate and would be a great resource for any RN/RM’s considering the SCPHN course too!”
Emma Cavenay, Student Heath Visitor, University of South Wales:
“The website is great. It is very easy to navigate under the headings and topics. The advice section is informative and I like the tips for SCPHN student new to the course. It gives some great tips on managing your time as well as wellbeing. I especially like the research section which again is easily navigated with the link. Lots of good links and even information on funding and research training, which is a much needed skill when doing the course, especially if at MSc level.“
Alison Hackett, Lecturer-Early Years, Programme Director MSc Ealy Years Practice (Health Visiting), Stirling University:
“I thought that the student area of the website was well laid out, easy to navigate and very informative. I believe that students will find the area an invaluable source of up-to-date evidence and resources for their practice”.
