iHV Health Visiting Advisory Forum (HVAF)

What is the aim of the HVAF?

The iHV HVAF was established in 2021 – it aims to:

• Provide a voice from practice to help the iHV reflect the views of our members in our work
• Bring insight into health visiting practice priorities
• Provide expert professional advice and guidance
• Support quality assurance and quality improvement of iHV resources through selected peer review on areas of interest
• Provide a forum for HVAF members to discuss new ideas, suggestions for innovation, and bring constructive challenge.

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Meet the HVAF team members
	Amanda Hall Bank Health Visitor/Family nurse partnership, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
	Andrea Maria Fernandez Ferrer Student SCPHN, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust
	Ann Chadwick Clinical Lead for the 0-19 Healthy Child Programme, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
	Anne-Marie Paulin Health Visitor, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, New Forest East and Romsey
	Audrey Lewis Practice Development Nurse (PDN) Children services, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
	Betheny Oakes (Co-chair) Health Visitor, Swindon Borough Council
	Bethany Boddy Health Visitor, South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust
	Carla Baldwin Regional Infant Feeding Lead, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
	Cathy Martin Community Nursery Nurse, Achieving for Children health visiting
	Ceri Allen Health Visitor, Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
	Christopher Sweeney Research fellow, University of Edinburgh
	David Midwinter Community Practice Educator, 0-19 Children’s Health, Lincolnshire County Council
	Elaine Coppard Community Nursery Nurse, Achieving for Children Health Visiting
	Emma Cavenay SCPHN HV, University of South Wales
	Emma Jane Cushnan Health In Pregnancy Assistant Practitioner, Walsall NHS Healthcare Trust
	Emma Tucker Education Lead Health Visiting, Kent Community Health NHS Trust
	Gayle De Souza 0 -19 Healthy Child Programme Team Lead, Shropshire Community Health Trust Telford 0 -19 HCP Public Health Nursing Service
	Jasmin Burgess Transitional Health Visitor, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
	Jemma Scott Health Visitor Roma Link HV, Kent Community Health Foundation Trust
	Jen Menzies Senior Lecturer, Northumbria University/South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
	Jennifer Blakstad Health Visitor, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust
	Jenny Gilmour 0 – 19 Service Development Lead, Tower Hamlets GP Care Group CIC
	Kathy Pelc Health Visitor Specialist Practice Teacher, London Borough of Sutton
	Keri Christie Deputy Professional Lead for HCP 0-19 Service, Walsall Healthcare Trust
	Leonie Boniface (nee Grundy) Health Visitor, Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
	Maria Somers Health Visitor, Western Health and Social Care Trust (N.I)
	Rachel Costis Operational Manager for Public Health Nursing, 0-19 Public Health Nursing, Swindon Borough Council
	Rebecca Cross Health Visitor, Cornwall Council
	Robert Nettleton NMC QA visitor, MottMacDonald/NMC
	Sarah Cartner (Co- chair) Sexual Health Lead, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
	Sarah Cooke Clinical Change Lead, Leeds Community Healthcare Trust
	Sarah House Health Visitor, Team Coordinator, CONI coordinator and PIMH champion, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
	Sharon Reeve Specialist Health Visitor for Homeless Families, Southend City Council
	Shirley Adebayo Professional Developmental Lead Community 0-19 Services, North Middlesex University Hospital
	Vicky Hunter Team Leader Health Visiting, Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

iHV HVAF membership

• Our HVAF members are all members of the iHV. Members hold a current registration with the NMC as a SCPHN health visitor or are practitioners who currently work in health visiting teams.
• HVAF membership is a 3-year term.
• HVAF members are recruited through an open selection process with expressions of interest.

How often does the HVAF meet?

Meetings are held 4-times a year, with one face-to-face meeting. The HVAF is chaired by Georgina Mayes (iHV Health Visiting Professional Lead (Quality and Policy)) and co-chaired with Sarah Cartner and Beth Oakes (iHV HVAF members).

Our HVAF positions are voluntary roles, however there are many benefits of being an iHV HVAF member. Here is what some of our HVAF members have said they enjoy about the role:

“I enjoy meeting other professionals, I enjoy peer reviewing the materials we are given, I enjoy being involved in helping to set the agenda for the future of the profession.”

“The HVAF offers a fantastic opportunity to support evidence base practice and shape priorities within a very challenging work environment.”

“I feel it’s really important to have given a voice to the HV at the ‘coal face’ and that my experience may support decisions and policies going forward.”