22nd October 2021
Calling all health visitors and health visiting teams! We really need your help to increase our response rate to our annual state of health visiting survey.
The great news is we have had 884 responses to our survey so far (and a huge thanks to everyone who has already completed it!). The bad news is that, at the moment, thousands of health visitors will not get their views heard!
Our target is to reach 1000 responses as minimum!
I cannot stress how important our annual survey is. We will use the evidence to create a powerful picture of the current state of health visiting which we will use to influence national decisions.
Big decisions are being made right now about the funding for health visiting and the ways that the service is delivered In England – there is also a lot of variation across the UK which we need to demonstrate. Help us tell your story. What do you think? Is it working? What needs to change? Have your say to benefit the health of all families and your staff.
If we don’t speak out as health visitors, policymakers will presume that everything is working well. We know that you may be feeling tired and exhausted – or feel that your views won’t make any difference. Thank you for all that you’re doing supporting babies, children and their families, it really does make a difference and your views really do count.
A big response rate will provide evidence that will be difficult to ignore. Only last week we saw how the views of 3,000 organisations and individuals, who came together with ‘one voice’, stopped Hampshire’s decision to cut their health visiting service.
This is where I need your help – don’t presume that others will do this for you – please take 20 minutes out of your very busy day and complete the survey yourself, and encourage your colleagues to do the same. This will possibly be the best use of 20 minutes that you will have as health visitors today to change the future of our profession. Make a plan – do it now, or find some time in the next week to have your say.
The survey contains a variety of questions to capture the state of health visiting, including:
- The ratio of children under 5 years per health visitor (if you get stuck on this question, please ask your manager to help you – the data is anonymised, so you can ‘tell it as it is’. The survey contains details on how to calculate this).
- Workforce forecasting – numbers of health visitors planning to retire or leave health visiting in the next 5 years.
- Changes in children and families’ vulnerability.
- Staff wellbeing.
- Staff CPD needs.
I hope that you will join with me and the hundreds of health visitors who have completed the survey so far – be part of the 1,000!!
Thanks so much for your support
Alison Morton, Executive Director, iHV
How to take part in the annual State of Health Visiting Survey
For those people on our mailing lists (including members and expired members), you will have received an email from us with the survey link. So please do check your emails.
For those health visitors or members of health visiting teams who are not on our mailing lists, or can’t find your email, and would like to complete this vital survey, please contact [email protected] to request the survey link.
Thank you so much for helping us to help you. Together we are stronger.
