Last week the NMC launched its consultation on draft standards for community and specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN). These set the expectations of future health visitors along with school nurses and occupational health nursing. The new NMC standards offer the opportunity to build on the advances in the evidence base for universal child and family health visiting for the pressing public health challenges of our times. It is vitally important that the views of health visitors are heard and shape these new standards.
The NMC is providing opportunities to be informed of the issues, to ask questions and to take part in the consultation. We encourage all health visitors to take up these opportunities.
iHV members can also shape the iHV’s response by joining us at our forthcoming iHV networking events for members which will focus on the NMC consultation:
iHV Student Networking Event – Future health visiting: Next steps for me and the profession
21 May 2021 (for student health visitor iHV members only)
In our first “iHV Student Networking Event” on 21 May, we will explore the crucial first year and preceptorship; and we will share views on the draft NMC standards for the Future SCPHN-health visiting.
Your experiences matter and will help us to formulate our response to the NMC’s consultation on the proposed standards. We have invited a short input from the NMC as well as from a practitioner with recent experience of preceptorship.
This webinar is for iHV Student Members ONLY. To book on, you will need your iHV membership number to access the tickets.
Practice Education Networking Event – Future health visiting: Next steps for the profession
16 June 2021 (open to all iHV members)
In our second “Practice Education Networking Event” on 16 June, we extend a wide invitation to all our iHV members who have an interest in education and standards for future health visitors. This too will help us to formulate our response to the NMC’s consultation on the proposed standards and we have invited a short input from the NMC as well as from a current Lead Practice Teacher / Assessor – health visitor.
This webinar is for iHV Members ONLY. To book on, you will need your iHV membership number to access the tickets.
Where can I find more information on the consultation?
We encourage all health visitors (whether you are an iHV member or not) to take the time to read the NMC consultation documents.
The new standards are intended to equip future health visitors to meet the public health needs of the future.
The four principles of health visiting formulated in 1977, and later included in current standards of proficiency for SCPHN have stood the test of time. Now is the time to consider whether the draft standards:
- Provide a compelling vision for the future of health visiting across the four nations of the UK;
- Proposed six ‘spheres of influence’ are pitched at the right level and are relevant to emerging health needs and the evidence base for practice;
- ‘Field-specific’ proficiencies for health visiting capture the distinctive knowledge, skills and attributes required for future health visitors;
- Will command the support of the profession; and
- Will help service users and employers to know what can be expected of the SCPHN health visitor.
