RCN Foundation funds iHV programme to support the emotional wellbeing of health visitors

The RCN Foundation has awarded £48,300 to the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV) to develop a programme to promote emotional wellbeing at work for small groups of health visitors (HV) working in the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The work of HVs has been impacted by COVID-19 in many ways which create additional work-related stress. HVs are seeing significant increases to the numbers of children and families they are responsible for and much of their work focuses on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families in our communities; those who have been hardest hit by the current pandemic. HVs describe feeling anxious and unsettled by the rapid pace of change, loss of control, sense of professional self-worth, and the wider impact of COVID-19 on many aspects of their practice.

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

“The past six months have been some of the most challenging in memory for health visitors. We are thrilled to now be able to offer them some direct virtual support through this exciting programme. On theirs, and our behalf, we would like to extend our warmest thanks to the RCN Foundation for their support to make this happen.”

This pilot project seeks to address how best to support health visitors adapt to the demands and pressures they are facing as a result of the pandemic, whilst also supporting their mental health and wellbeing and trying to reduce the impact of work-related stress, so that they can continue to support families effectively.

Twelve organisations and sixty practitioners will take part in the pilot programme which begins in October 2020, with findings expected in early 2021.

Deepa Korea, RCN Foundation Director, commented:

“The RCN Foundation is delighted to have awarded funding to this important pilot programme, which will support the emotional wellbeing of health visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a well-evidenced link between staff wellbeing and quality of care delivery and so it is vitally important that we look at ways in which we can continue to support the nursing community in these challenging times, as they support families and communities across the UK.”

The project forms part of the RCN Foundation’s programme of work and support in response to COVID-19 which has, to date, supported more than 2,800 nursing and midwifery staff.

Children’s Funeral Fund for England

The Prime Minister has intervened to establish a Funeral Fund for grieving parents who have lost their child.

Under the scheme, parents will no longer have to meet the costs of burials or cremations. Fees will be waived by all local authorities and met instead by government funding.

Every year an estimated 4,350 children die under the age of 18 and grieving parents can face thousands in council fees for burial or cremation costs. There is also considerable variation in charges, with some councils waiving fees altogether.

The intervention brings England in line with Wales and follows a cross-party campaign by bereaved parents to remove fees for funerals for those under the age of 18.

Read full statement

QNI – Fund for Innovation and Leadership in Homeless Health

The Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) has a new funding stream available for nurses who wish to develop projects working with homeless or vulnerably-housed people.

Apply for up to £5000 to develop an innovation project to improve homeless health in your local area, and gain professional and personal development for yourself through attending three two-day leadership workshops during 2018 for project leaders.

Applications must focus on the health improvement of a group of patients. This can include people:

who are homeless
who live in Gypsy, Roma or Traveller communities
who are in prison
who are asylum seekers, refugees or undocumented migrants
who work as sex workers
who have drug and alcohol problems.

Projects can focus on any issue relating to improving the health, care and wellbeing of people from any of the above groups.

How to apply

Apply for the QNI Homeless Health Project Fund by 5pm 29 September 2017 – by completing the application form and returning it to the QNI.

Please see QNI application guidance notes (in the link below) for eligibility criteria, required documents, project duration and monitoring, and application process.

Go to QNI for application guidance and application form

For more information

If you wish to discuss your application or for more information, please contact David Parker-Radford, Homeless Health Programme Manager on 020 7549 1410 or by email [email protected] .