Celebrating health visitors on International Nurses Day 2026

“Happy International Nurses Day” – on behalf of everyone at the iHV, we thank health visitors and their teams for their ongoing dedication and support as we continue striving for better outcomes for every family.

On International Nurses Day (12 May), we are reminded of the vital function of nurses across the globe and the many roles and ways in which nursing plays out to make a difference to human life. In the UK, we have a universal public health nursing workforce – identified as health visitors. Health visitors are skilled in attending to prevention, in providing health interventions in the home and community settings to provide a critical safety net for families navigating ordinary life and the transitions that unfold.

However, it is no ordinary workforce, it is a precious resource – often invisible behind closed doors, enabling action and personal attention to the private acts of strengthening family bonds and creating a secure safe environment for babies to grow.

Health visitors are a workforce driven by the imperative to invest in early life, optimise health opportunity for all whatever the social context, and capitalise on the strengths of individuals and groups for the sake of human health. They artfully apply knowledge of human development, nutrition, disease prevention, illness management and much more. The universal reach of health visiting aims to ensure that all babies are invested in and that those with greater need are known, understood, and supported with additional help matched to need.

“I am a health visitor because I’m honoured to walk alongside families in their hardest and happiest moments, offering care, reassurance, and hope so every child can truly flourish from the very beginning.”
(Claire Scothern, iHV Fellowship Scholar)

“I am a health visitor because I have the privilege of working alongside families at one of the most important and formative times in their lives. I am deeply committed to ensuring every baby, child and family receives the right support at the right time. I believe wholeheartedly that SEND is everyone’s business, and I am passionate about championing inclusion, recognising and valuing difference from the very start of life, and advocating for equitable care so that no family feels overlooked or unsupported.”
(Nikki Freeman, Health Visitor Clinical Lead for SEND, East and North Herts Quadrants of Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust )

“One moment can change everything for a child’s future; that’s why I became a health visitor.”
(Elizabeth Begley, iHV Fellowship Scholar, Enhanced Health Visitor Manager, Homerton Foundation NHS Trust)

“I’m a proud health visitor, because as a specialist public health nurse supporting families from pregnancy through the early years, our work goes far beyond weighing babies. We assess development, support feeding, sleep and behaviour, and spot early concerns like postnatal depression, domestic abuse or safeguarding issues. Much of what we do is quiet, preventative and behind the scenes, but its impact on children and families lasts a lifetime.”
(Knoena Hussey, iHV Fellowship Scholar)

“I am a health visitor because I believe in human potential and what can be realised when acting early and taking a strengths based approach to health.”
(Karen Whittaker, iHV Senior Education and Workforce Lead)

Celebrating the achievements of health visitors

At the iHV, we celebrate the achievements of health visitors making a difference either through their work directly with families and communities, their investment in the next generation through provision of education and learning, or through their leadership and influence on policies that shape positive change. Join us in this celebration by making nominations to the iHV Awards 2026 which are now open for the following categories:

The iHV Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of those who have made an outstanding contribution to our profession – driving best practice, transforming care, improving outcomes, and demonstrating excellence in health visiting – providing well-deserved recognition for individuals and teams who are truly exceptional. In addition, the iHV invests in health visitor leadership through The Dame Elizabeth Fradd Leadership Programme: iHV Fellows. Read more about the Fellows programme here.

iHV Fellows – off to a flying start

The Dame Elizabeth Fradd Leadership Programme: iHV Fellows – off to a flying start

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) has identified 24 exceptional health visitors ready to pursue excellence in leadership. Each has been successful in securing a scholarship to join The Dame Elizabeth Fradd Leadership Programme: iHV Fellows. This bespoke 12-month programme for health visitors started this month with a lively first day in London, bringing together health visitor talent from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Dame Elizabeth Fradd Leadership Programme: iHV Fellows 2025

The Fellows candidates have commenced a three-phase journey of personal and professional development aimed at propelling leadership potential – and strengthening health visiting leadership for our profession, now and in the future.

In developing as iHV Fellows, the candidates are required to evidence a commitment to self-awareness, a vision for the future, and the ability to motivate and empower others to achieve shared goals. During the programme, the candidates will have the opportunity to hear from and meet a range of leaders responsible for programmes of policy, practice, research or education that impact on the lives of babies, children and families.

As a prelude to the programme, the Fellows candidates met Professor Dame Sarah Cowley, iHV Trustee, who explained the historical path of health visitor regulation, the background to the Institute, and the imperative to grasp opportunities as part of new legislative reforms for UK-regulated health and care professionals.

When meeting for the first time in person, candidates were welcomed by Alison Morton, CEO at the iHV. In exploring how to contribute and make a difference as a leader, Alison provided guidance on ‘putting people first, driving change with evidence and optimising the talents of those who know how to get the best results’.

The message to act and bring to bear health visitor knowledge and expertise was continued in the presentation delivered by Professor Jamie Waterall, Chief Public Health Nurse, OHID. Professor Waterall provided an overview of national priorities for health leadership. He encouraged candidates to join conversations that shape strategies for nursing and midwifery, and remember the ‘reach of health visiting’ within communities as a public health asset.

Professor Jamie Waterall said:

“This is a fantastic programme, building vital public health leadership capacity and capability across our systems! Great discussion and good luck to everyone completing the programme.”

The development of the iHV Fellows Programme has been generously supported by the KPMG Foundation as part of their 25@25 special grants initiative. Kevin Munday, CEO at KPMG Foundation, also joined to congratulate the candidates on achieving their scholarships and to wish them well as they progress through the programme. Kevin heard from the candidates who shared examples of their work across multi-agency contexts to deliver impactful change for children and families.

Kevin Munday, CEO at KPMG Foundation

In addition to hearing from inspirational speakers, the candidates worked together to examine existing values, beliefs and experiences that inform their approaches to leadership. The room was filled with energetic discussion as they considered their ‘social graces’ and the power differentials at play within personal and professional lives. Importantly, they considered the opportunities and talents that can be missed within teams if ‘social graces’ go unvoiced and unseen.

Candidates exploring social graces

Candidates exploring social graces

Candidates exploring social graces

The next steps will be participation in a two-day residential, where candidates will be able to get to the heart of how to communicate their message in different situations, to reveal and offer their best selves to achieve positive change.

In reflecting on their first day, candidates expressed feeling energised and excited:

“As the only commissioner on the programme,  I’m finding the new Fellows leadership journey inspiring, informative and motivating. It’s offering me opportunities to network with provider leads and academics as well as learn about the latest policies and political direction. This is an exciting time to be in Public Heath Nursing and I’m looking forward to the experience the next 11 months will be.”
(Clare Slater-Robins, Fellows Candidate)

“I came home energised and hopeful. Sometimes challenges on the ground are difficult but I have new ideas to try for capturing data – I’m very grateful I was accepted onto the Fellows Programme.”
(Lucy Taylor, Fellows Candidate)

“Lots of food for thought with strategies to support and guide reflections. Wonderful to meet everyone face-to-face – such an amazing and inspiring group of leaders. An exciting year ahead!”
(Amanda Holland, Fellows Candidate)

Two new Honorary Fellowships

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce two new Honorary Fellows. Each year the iHV Board of Trustees bestows one or more Honorary Fellowship awards – a mark of the highest esteem. The awards are reserved for individuals who have made an exceptional contribution, not only to the iHV, but also to the profession of health visiting and the families we serve.

This year’s awards were bestowed on two unique individuals at our annual Leadership Conference in London on 4 December – Leanne Howlett and Kieran Anders – who have both supported the iHV for many years as experts by lived experience. Their contributions and experiences have enriched our work in so many ways, making it better and keeping us focused on the people that we are here to serve.

Leanne Howlett uses her own experience to ground our work in the profound reality of lived experience of perinatal mental ill-health. Leanne has consistently demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the iHV and to health visiting through her active involvement in numerous initiatives – supporting our policy work, joining key roundtable discussions, knocking on the door of Downing Street with her daughter Miley as part of the campaign “A Fight for a Fair Start”, and leading a petition calling for more health visitors. Her dedication to co-production and her consistent support has made a tangible impact on the wellbeing of families.

On receiving this award Leanne said:

It’s an incredible privilege to receive the honorary fellowship award and I am truly honoured to have been selected. My incredible health visitor Holly drives me in the work I do because her compassion and knowledge helped me to be the parent I wanted to be, despite the challenges I faced at the time. This award is as much for her as it is me because her care has filtered down to help so many others through the work I’ve done. I look forward to continuing to support the Institute with their work over the coming years.

Leanne Howlett receiving her Honorary Fellowship from Sue Tokley, Chair of the iHV Board

Kieran Anders supports our work around fathers’ mental health, bringing much greater attention to the needs of dads, who can frequently get overlooked in services which have traditionally been built around the needs of women and their babies. Using a combination of his own lived experience and the latest evidence and knowledge from his role as Operations Manager for Dad Matters – HomeStart HOST, Kieran has co-designed and co-delivers the iHV Fathers and Perinatal Mental Health training programmes alongside our iHV Mental Health team. His outstanding ability to connect with fathers during such a critical period transforms individual lives and influences best practice in health visiting, with the aim of improving perinatal care for all fathers and their infants.

On receiving this award, Kieran said:

“I’m so sorry I can’t be with you but I hope you’ve all had an amazing conference, and I hope to be there in person at the next one.

“I can’t begin to tell you just how much of an honour it is to even be spoken about in the same circles as the Fellows who have gone before me, and the pride I feel accepting this honorary fellowship is truly humbling.

“Working at Home-Start HOST and with partners across the Home-start network to help support dads in the perinatal period has been an amazing journey, and has equipped me with the knowledge, confidence and skills to be able to support organisations such as the Institute with their own work. Delivering training with Sylvia, Natalie, Hilda and everyone else has been a joyous experience, and I hope it has made a real difference to the dads, parents and particularly babies, that we all want to reach, support and see thrive.

“Thank you again for this amazing honour, I will forever be proud to be an honorary fellow. I might even have a pin badge made to mark the occasion. 😂”

Kieran Anders

Philippa Bishop, iHV Director of Learning & Development, commented:

“Congratulations to both Leanne and Kieran – these are very special iHV Honorary Fellowships. Recognition of experts by lived experience by the iHV Board of Trustees is a new approach and underpins the importance of keeping the voice of parents central to all that we do. We are thrilled and proud to add both Leanne and Kieran to our esteemed list of amazing Honorary Fellows.”

Institute awards two honorary Fellowships as it launches annual report

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce two new honorary Fellows and the launch of its seventh annual report, detailing the progress and many highlights of the iHV over the last year.

Professor Mitch Blair and Sir Al Aynsley-Green both received an honorary Fellowship of the Institute of Health Visiting at the iHV’s seventh annual celebration event held in London last week (Tuesday 3 December 2019). Professor Blair’s honorary Fellowship is awarded in recognition of his early and continued support to both the Institute and the health visiting profession; and Sir Al’s honorary Fellowship is in recognition for his significant continued advocacy for children and particularly the lives of vulnerable children. Honorary Fellowship is a mark of the high esteem in which those awarded it are held by the Institute’s board.

Professor Mitch Blair is Professor of Paediatrics and Child Public Health at Imperial College London and a consultant paediatrician at Northwick Park Hospital. His primary research interests are in preventative child health programmes, child health indicators and international child health services research.

Professor Mitch Blair receiving his honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, Chair of iHV

Sir Albert Aynsley-Green is a paediatric endocrinologist and Professor Emeritus of Child Health at University College London. He was appointed as the first Children’s Commissioner for England in 2005 and was knighted by the Queen in 2006 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the education and health of children. More recently Sir Al has served as President of the BMA and he is currently visiting professor of advocacy for children and childhood at Nottingham Trent University. He is also author of ‘The British Betrayal of Childhood’.

Sir Al Aynsley-Green receiving his honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, Chair of iHV

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

“It was a great pleasure to welcome both Professor Mitch Blair and Sir Albert Aynsley-Green onto the stage at our annual celebration event to receive their honorary Fellowships of the Institute. Both are great supporters of the Institute and the health visiting profession, and we are thrilled and proud to add them to our list of amazing Honorary Fellows.”

The seventh iHV annual report was also launched during the iHV’s annual celebration event. It details the Institute’s developments, partnerships and projects over the past 12 months.

Dr Adams commented:

“I am delighted to share our latest annual report as we celebrate our seventh birthday. A big thank you to all our members, Fellows and partners, we look forward to continuing our work with you to protect and strengthen the health of children, families and communities into the future.”

Download iHV Year seven Annual Report 2018/19

Institute awards three honorary Fellowships

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) is delighted to announce three new honorary Fellows.

Professor Rosamund Bryar, Dr Alain Gregoire and Wendy Taman all received their honorary Fellowships of the Institute of Health Visiting at the iHV’s sixth annual celebration event held in London last Tuesday (4 December 2018). The honorary Fellowships were awarded in recognition of their continued support of both the Institute and the health visiting profession, and mark the high esteem in which they are held by the Institute’s board.

Rosamund Bryar, one of the founding Trustees of the Institute, is Emeritus Professor of Community and Primary Care Nursing, City University London, and has been involved in service development, education, research and research capacity building in health visiting and primary health care since the mid-1980s. Ros was one of the “Gang of four” who set up the Institute.

Professor Rosamund Bryar receiving her honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, chair of iHV
Picture by: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

Dr Alain Gregoire, a Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist and chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, has worked with the Institute on its Perinatal Mental Health Champions project and much more widely has campaigned around and supported the critical role of the health visitor in recognising and supporting mothers with perinatal mental illness.

Dr Alain Gregoire receiving his honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, chair of iHV
Picture by: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

Wendy Taman is a practising health visitor who uses technology to spread good health visiting practice – and who is supporting the Institute’s presence on Twitter.

Wendy Taman receiving her honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, chair of iHV
Picture by: www.matthewwalkerphotography.com

iHV’s Executive Director, Dr Cheryll Adams CBE, said:

“We are thrilled to welcome these fantastic individuals to our pool of Honorary Fellows. All have had a significant impact on the art and science of health visiting.”

Health and Wellbeing Event in County Durham

A #wellbeing approach networking event took place in Durham last Friday (30 September), as part of County Durham’s Joint Health and Wellbeing strategy – where one of our iHV Fellows, Hilary Earl, secured a stand to promote health visiting as well as the iHV and her local Ready Steady Mums group.

Gill O’Neill, the interim director of public health in County Durham, made the opening remarks at the event that has been 2 years in the planning .

The event also coincided with the Macmillan fundraising week, which was well supported.

“Working together for Wellbeing” cake at County Durham Health and Wellbeing event

Attendees enjoyed several carousel-style workshops – learning about local health initiatives ranging from Health Trainers and Community Parents to Health Visitors and School nursing services.

With the focus on wellbeing, there were energising activities throughout the day for the delegates.

The iHV stand was well visited and the resources were popular. Plus Hilary used the opportunity to promote their local Ready Steady Mums group in Spennymoor.

RSM Spennymoor poster at County Durham Health and Wellbeing event

Hilary commented:

It was fabulous networking and a great example of excellent joint working with our commissoners.

Great Research Masterclass

Great day in Manchester today looking at evaluation and research in health visiting. 3rd iHV Fellows Research Masterclass (20 Jan 2016) – How do you measure Health Visiting?
It’s not all Black & White!

It’s black & white in Manchester to start….

Research Masterclass in Manchester

A well-deserved higher profile

Health visitors are gaining greater recognition thanks to a new Fellows programme

An article in the careers section of the Nursing Standard (29, 11, 64-65) focuses on some of our Fellows.

Read the Nursing Standard article online

Or see the pdf of the article

For they are jolly good Fellows!

Fifteen outstanding health visitors have just been identified to join the prestigious Institute of Health Visiting’s Fellowship programme – taking the total number of Fellows appointed so far this year to 50.

The Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) Fellow scheme recognises the professional achievement of exceptional health visitors – creating a new country-wide group of expert and confident health visitor leaders who make a real difference to the health outcomes of children and their families.

Dr Cheryll Adams, Director of the iHV, said:

“We are delighted to appoint a further fifteen Fellows to the Institute to strengthen leadership in the health visiting profession and to help develop the next generation of health visitors. There is immense talent in our profession and our Fellows lead the way in pushing the boundaries to ensure excellence in practice.”

Read the press release