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.”

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.”

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.

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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

“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.

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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

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 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....

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

Research Masterclass in Manchester

Research Masterclass in Manchester

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.”

The iHV is delighted to announce that it has identified a further 24 superb senior health visitors to enter its development programme.

All have been invited to undertake a 4 day development programme before having their awards bestowed at a special ceremony next March.