Bookings open for May 2022 PIMH Champions Training

Bookings open for 11 and 12 May 2022

This is an opportunity to book a place on our hosted training event which provides an opportunity for individual practitioners to complete our programme.

Our multi-agency Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions training programme is designed to improve family mental health by:

increasing competence and confidence in perinatal and infant mental health practice
developing place-based leadership for perinatal and infant mental health across complex systems of care
raising awareness of the importance of perinatal and infant mental health across the workforce

Date and Time:

Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 May 2022 (both days to be attended)
09:00-16:30 online – log in from 08:45

Cost of places:

£415 – iHV Member (membership number required for booking)
£450 – Non-member

Download and read PIMH Champions Training Information for Participants - May 2022

How do I apply?

Download Application Form for Hosted iHV PIMH Champions Training - May 2022

Please send your completed application form to [email protected]

iHV PIMH Champions Programme shortlisted for 2021 HSJ Awards

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce that its Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Champions Programme has been shortlisted for the Workforce Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Awards 2021, recognising their outstanding contribution to healthcare – in what has been an exceptional and challenging period across the sector.

Despite the demanding circumstances of the past 18 months, over 1000 entries have been received for this year’s HSJ Awards. The volume and standards of applications has been a true testament to those health and social care staff, who continue to push outstanding work and transformational projects across the sector.

Melita Walker, Head of the Mental Health Department at The Institute of Health Visiting, commented:

“We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the HSJ Workforce Initiative of the Year. With such stiff competition and eminent judges, it is a massive honour for the Institute to be shortlisted. This significant recognition really does reflect the collaborative efforts and dedication of #TeamiHV and the iHV PIMH Champions.

“The iHV PIMH Champions programme has evolved over several years (alongside the evidence base, changing policy and evolving national standards) and is unique in its capacity to reach large audiences through our highly developed leadership-cascade model which builds in sustainability for commissioners. The programme and its quality assurance measures have been co-designed, co-developed and co-delivered alongside experts by experience as well as perinatal mental health experts from the professions we commonly train, i.e. health visitors, midwives, obstetricians, general practitioners and psychiatrists and other mental health workers.”

The judging panel comprised a diverse range of highly influential and respected figures within the healthcare community, including: Sir Bruce Keogh (Chair, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s FT); Marie Gabriel CBE (Chair, NHS Race and Health Observatory); and former HSJ Trust of the Year winners Ann Marr OBE (Chief Executive, St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals Trust) and Richard Mitchell (Chief Executive, Sherwood Forest Hospitals FT).

Following the intense and in-depth judging process the iHV was shortlisted, ahead of the official awards ceremony to be held later this year (18 November). Standing out amongst tough competition from hundreds of other exemplary applicants, the iHV Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Programme was selected based on ambition, visionary spirit and the demonstrable positive impact that the project has had for professionals and families.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated significant changes to the way in which healthcare practitioners were able to access training and professional development. The Institute of Health Visiting was well-positioned and responsive in adapting their highly renowned Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Champions’ Programmes to meet the requirements of the virtual world. In doing so, they enabled ongoing access to standardised, high-quality national training and support, ensuring that frontline PIMH practitioners were sufficiently equipped and skilled to meet the increasing needs of families and improve outcomes for those affected by, or at risk of, perinatal and infant mental health problems.

HSJ editor Alistair McLellan, commented:

“On behalf of all my colleagues, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Institute of Health Visiting on being nominated in the category of Workforce Initiative of the Year in this year’s HSJ Awards. The applications we receive always present our panel of judges with a very difficult task as the standard is unfailingly high and the breadth of innovation and passion for patient care is always so inspiring.

“This year, we really have been overwhelmed with the level of entries, particularly when set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the huge challenges faced by our health and social care workforce.

“We are therefore looking forward to welcoming all our finalists to the live ceremony in November and joining us in celebrating their incredible achievements and commitment to excellence.”

The full list of nominees for the HSJ Awards 2021 can be found on https://awards.hsj.co.uk/shortlist-2021.

The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at Evolution, London, on 18 November 2021.

Emotional Wellbeing at Work update

“The iHV Emotional Wellbeing Group was a bit of a lifeline for me during a very challenging period…. I was in effect, firefighting …and feeling completely overwhelmed. Most weeks I entertained thoughts of resigning…. I found the course instrumental in holding me when I was wavering about my ability to do my job. I learned to be kinder and more accepting of myself and in doing so was able to expect that others would do the same. I think the course also empowered me to prioritise the wellbeing of those I care for as well as myself”

(iHV Group Participant)

Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the iHV State of Health Visiting survey 2019 (published in February 2020) had identified that health visitors were already struggling to cope with the demands placed on their stretched services. However, the pandemic escalated this rapidly, and a further paper surveyed 740 health visitors in England – finding that 68% reported their stress levels at work had increased over the past year, 66% feeling more stressed, worried, tense and anxious generally (Conti and Dow, 2020).

There is a well-evidenced link between staff wellbeing and quality of care delivery. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted that “keeping all staff protected from chronic stress and poor mental health during this response means that they will have a better capacity to fulfil their roles” (WHO, 2020).

We applied for, and are grateful for, the grant received from the COVID support fund from the RCN Foundation. The funding meant that we were able to offer a new Emotional Wellbeing at Work (EWW) virtual programme, aimed at supporting a number of health visitors in the workforce.

The programme was designed as a series of six group support sessions with five places offered to up to 12 organisations. The groups were facilitated by experienced facilitators and ran between October 2020 and March 2021. The EWW programme methodology mirrors health visiting practice by utilising a range of strengths-based, reflective and restorative approaches. These were outlined in the Journal of Health Visiting (Development of the Emotional Wellbeing at Work Virtual Programme to support UK health visiting teams – Baldwin, Stephen, Bishop and Kelly – December 2020). 58 practitioners in total attended the programme, including health visitors from organisations in Wales and Scotland.

Emotional Wellbeing at Work

The overall aim of the EWW programme was to improve staff wellbeing by reducing their levels of stress and anxiety, helping them gain and/or maintain a sense of control and professional self-worth, and providing support to build capacity to cope better with work demands through six facilitated group sessions. Findings from the preliminary evaluation demonstrated positive outcomes in relation to these aims (Baldwin et al, 2020). A further paper outlining in full the early evaluation findings has been accepted for publication in Primary Health Care Journal and is expected to be published in the later Spring.

The iHV has subsequently received additional funding from a separate application to the COVID Healthcare Support Appeal (CHSA), with the aim to improve sustainability and reach of the programme by developing and implementing a “Champions” cascade model. This brand new and exciting Emotional Wellbeing at Work Champions training is due to start in June 2021.

Please contact [email protected] for more information

Develop Emotional Wellbeing at Work Champions within your organisation

We are delighted to be able to offer organisations the opportunity to develop Emotional Wellbeing at Work Champions – funded places.

This is an amazing chance, only available to a small number of organisations due to the limited number of places on offer – limited to 2 places per organisation.

Emotional Wellbeing at Work

We are thrilled to share that the COVID Healthcare Support Appeal (CHSA), a subsidiary of the RCN Foundation, has awarded funding to enable us to develop and deliver a programme creating 24 Emotional Wellbeing at Work (EWW) Champions in health visiting teams across the UK. Champions will be trained to deliver our evidence-based programme of emotional wellbeing at work to groups of health visitors (HVs) and HV staff working within their own organisations.

The aim is that the EWW Champions will provide a cascade of emotional support groups within their teams as part of the development programme, with ongoing support and supervision provided by our team during this period.

Recent research has highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on the wellbeing and mental health of health visiting staff (Conti & Dow 2020):

68% of respondents reported an increase in stress levels at work over the past year
Of these 37% reported they would leave their posts if they could

What is the timescale and commitment for the EWW Champions programme?

June – November 2021 – EWW Champions attend a total of 7 experiential learning group sessions, whereby they experience the support they are being trained to offer. The sessions will include a planning session to allow them to set up their own cascade of group sessions with their EWW Champion partner from their organisation.
November 2021 – March 2022 – EWW Champions commence offering the series of 6 EWW support group sessions to their colleagues. One-to-one support from the our EWW Facilitators is available to the end of the programme in March 2022.
January – March 2022 – EWW Champions attend monthly group supervision sessions with our EWW Facilitators to share successes with their cohort and problem-solve / seek support to issues. This supports their continued development as group facilitators as well as providing essential supervision support for them as part of the process.
In total 10 sessions are attended in the period of the programme (June 2021 to March 2022), and there is an expectation that the Champion will go on to deliver 6 group sessions to their colleagues from November 2021 onwards.

How many people will attend each session?

The number of champions in each group will be capped at 12 to ensure that the sessions are safely managed for all. Groups are closed which means that the same participants and facilitators will be at each session.

How will delegates attend the programme sessions?

The sessions are offered via Zoom platform – this has worked really well as part of a wider programme delivered for the RCN Foundation by the iHV last year.
Delegates will need a laptop with a working webcam and microphone to attend. They will also need access to a private space to protect confidentiality of the groups.
Delegates will also need their manager’s support for their attendance at all 10 sessions (between June 2021 and March 2022) and also support for delegates to roll out similar wellbeing sessions x 6 to their colleagues between December to February as part of the programme.

How to find out more or book places for your organisation?

Interested in developing Emotional Wellbeing at Work Champions within your organisation? Please email [email protected] to find out more or to book your organisation’s places.

New dates available for PIMH Champions training for individuals

New dates: 19 & 20 January 2021

We are delighted to offer places on our hosted training event which provides an opportunity for individual practitioners to complete our programme – but be quick as places are filling up fast!

Our multi-agency Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions training programme is designed to improve family mental health by:

increasing competence and confidence in perinatal and infant mental health practice
developing place-based leadership for perinatal and infant mental health across complex systems of care
raising awareness of the importance of perinatal and infant mental health across the workforce

The online delivery format models our highly acclaimed face-to-face programme and will equip Champions with the necessary understanding, knowledge and competence to lead on PIMH in their local areas.

Following the training, each Champion will receive resources enabling them to cascade the training (COVID-19 permitting) onwards to their colleagues either face-to-face or virtually. The iHV will provide both face-to-face and online format training resources to support this.

Download training event leaflet - January 2021

For more information on our PIMH Champions training programme

How to book:

Go to our online booking system to book your place

Download training booking form

New date – Multi-Agency PIMH Champions Training for individuals

New training date: 29 and 30 April 2019

Location: London

Following previous sell out events, we are offering a further rare opportunity to access a place to train as a Multi-Agency iHV Champion for Perinatal & Infant Mental Health via our highly acclaimed integrated programme.

The programme is an accredited 2 day course which will cover a wide and updated programme content supported by contemporaneous evidence and policy underpinning practice.

This training has been specifically designed to support an onward cascade across a multi-agency audience to ensure that all staff working alongside mothers and their families perinatally can access awareness training.

For more details and how to book

New Health Visitor Research Champions scheme launched

The Institute of Health Visiting has launched a new Research Champions scheme for health visitors (HVs) interested in research. Set up in partnership with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the scheme has appointed its first ten Champions.

Health Visitor Research Champions meet to kick off new HV Research Champions scheme

The new HV Research Champions met for the first time at NIHR to learn how to develop their role and will be mentored by existing midwifery champions and supported by the local NIHR Clinical Research Networks (CRNs). Ultimately there will be 15 research champions, one for each CRN region.

Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, Executive Director at the Institute of Health Visiting, said:

“This is a very exciting development for the Institute, we have seen how successful the Midwifery Champions have been in supporting research for mothers and babies and it is fantastic to now be developing a similar capacity in health visiting.

“For the Champions themselves and their employers, this is an opportunity to much more closely engage with the many national research programmes.”

The HV Research Champions will:

Work collaboratively with the iHV, NIHR, relevant research teams and other Champions to support the development of portfolios of research
Work together to increase health visitor contribution to research studies
Support the development of a research-rich culture within the health visiting workforce
Contribute to a national forum of Champions including attendance at 3 National forum meetings a year
Contribute to national activities of the forum and health visiting including sharing of good practice and development of new ways of working
Support the creation of opportunities for more research careers in health visiting.

The HV Research Champions have a masters, a doctorate or are working towards one, and also some existing or prior direct involvement in research, and they are also members of the iHV.

Further opportunities to become a HV Research Champion include the following regions: South West Peninsula; North West Coast; Kent, Surrey and Sussex; Thames Valley; and West of England. Closing date for applications is 7 September 2018.

For more details and how to apply – https://ihv.org.uk/our-work/research/research-champions/

Mental health minister celebrates NHS 70 years with iHV Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions

On Thursday 5 July, the Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities, Jackie Doyle-Price MP, celebrated 70 years of the NHS with Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) Perinatal Mental Health Champions and Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions in Manchester.

During the celebration event, the Minister heard about the work of the health visitor, with a specific focus on the critical role that health visitors play in preventing mental illness, promoting mental wellness across the life-course and supporting/offering evidence-based interventions to families suffering from perinatal mental illness. She also heard a very powerful presentation from Jane Fisher, a mother with lived experience, on the importance of her relationship with her health visitor as part of her recovery.

Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities Jackie Doyle-Price meeting iHV PIMH Champions in Manchester to mark #NHS70

Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, Executive Director at the Institute of Health Visiting, said:

“5^th July was such a special day for the NHS. We were delighted to celebrate its 70^th year with some of our wonderful Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions in Manchester – a very appropriate location as health visiting started in Salford /Manchester in 1862 and there is a long history of Manchester supporting public health improvement. This was a great opportunity to share with the Minister the fantastic and essential work that health visitors and our Champions provide to mothers and their families.

“Perinatal mental health is key for all parents and their families – at the Institute we recognise the importance of this and have a range of accredited training programmes to ensure that health visitors and other health professionals have the correct information knowledge and understanding to support parents and families to promote and maintain their mental wellbeing. On marking the 70^thbirthday of the NHS, I am delighted to announce that the iHV has now trained over 1500 Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions – and, if each cascaded their knowledge to only 20 colleagues, then that’s over 30,000 healthcare professionals who have better insight to supporting perinatal and infant mental health – quite amazing!

“This celebratory event shone a light on health visitors and our amazing Champions who play such an important role in helping ensure all children have the best start in life.”

Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities Jackie Doyle-Price said:

“I was privileged to spend some of the NHS’ 70th birthday with such fantastic advocates for the Health Visiting profession.

“They really are our eyes and ears for good perinatal health, and do an important job in supporting new parents and families through a child’s early years. I know they are working under increasing pressures, and expect local authorities to make sure they support health visitors in communities across the country.”

Minister for Mental Health and Inequalities Jackie Doyle-Price meeting iHV PIMH Champions in Manchester to mark #NHS70

Andrea Johns FiHV, Professional Lead Wirral- 0-19 and Cheshire East- Health Visiting, commented:

“I was delighted to see that the Minister was focusing on health visitors on the NHS 70^th birthday. The role of the health visitor is key to improvements in perinatal and infant mental health. Health visitors are highly skilled in identifying mental health issues and work closely with partner agencies to deliver high quality, evidence-based support in the community.”

Melita Walker FiHV, Mental Health Lead, Institute of Health Visiting, added:

“NHS70 for the health visitors who met with Jackie Doyle-Price will be remembered as a day of celebration and hope. It was brilliant to be able to share the great work that health visitors are doing and also have the opportunity to discuss the challenges and think collaboratively for solutions.”

New PIMH training opportunities – book now!

Multi-Agency Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions Training for individuals – Bookings open now!

Limited places available – so don’t miss out!

Following previous sell-out at our PIMH training events, we are offering a further rare opportunity to access a place to train as a Multi-Agency iHV Champion for Perinatal & Infant Mental Health via our highly acclaimed integrated programme.

Sheffield – 24 and 25 October 2018
London – 7 and 8 November 2018.

Duration of course: 2 days

Costs: £395 iHV Members/ £425 Non-members.

The programme is an accredited 2-day course which will cover a wide and updated programme content supported by contemporaneous evidence and policy underpinning practice. You will be supplied with a copy of the new combined Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Champions trainer pack and accompanying resources in order to be able to cascade a one day training to your colleagues to raise awareness of perinatal and infant mental health across your organisation or service.

These courses are very popular – so book your place today! Don’t miss out!

If you would like more information, please contact [email protected]

Institute’s Champions training receives national recognition in mental health awards

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to receive national recognition for its Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Training Programme in the first ever perinatal mental health awards, organised by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) and Mums and Babies in Mind (MABIM).

The iHV’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Training Programme was highly commended in the Emma Cadywould Award for Perinatal Mental Health Education and Training 2017. The awards, which were announced on Wednesday 13 September at the first Annual UK Maternal Mental Health Alliance Conference at Imperial College, London, recognised best practice and achievement in the categories of perinatal mental health education and training, perinatal mental health awareness raising, peer support and transgenerational service.

Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, executive director of the Institute of Health Visiting, said:

“The Institute of Health Visiting is proud to receive this prestigious training award which was set up in the name of Emma Cadywould, who tragically lost her life whilst suffering severe postnatal depression.

“Our comprehensive, accredited training, which now reflects the national competencies for perinatal and infant mental health, has been developed over the past five years and consistently attracts wonderful evaluations.

“We have recently extended our training offers to be suitable for all professionals working with women with perinatal mental illness. This has been in response to many requests for multi-professional training from the health, local authority and voluntary sectors. Our current Champions Training ensures that all practitioners working alongside women and their families perinatally are equipped to provide evidence-based and confident support – as of June 2017, we have created over 140 Multi-agency Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions, as well as almost 900 health visitor Infant and Perinatal Mental Health Champions whose originally training we know has been cascaded to upwards of 10,000 others.

“This award is a massive credit to the Institute’s team who have worked so hard to develop, refine, deliver and quality assure, and most recently to benchmark our training to the new national standards.”

The winners were presented with their awards by acclaimed author, journalist and psychotherapist Susie Orbach.

Find out more about the iHV’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Champions Training Programme

Read the full press release