In 2023/24, local authorities in England received £3.53 billion from the Government to fund public health services. This includes health visits and school nurse services for delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, through the Public Health Grant. As a part of the programme, health visitors undertake holistic assessments in partnership with families, which includes assessment of maternal mental health and infant mental health needs. These assessments cover the parents\u2019 capacity to meet their infant\u2019s needs, the impact and influence of wider family and community, and environmental circumstances. Working with families, health visitors identify the most appropriate level of support and intervention. This includes resources for health visitors to use in supporting families with mental health challenges experienced by both children and parents. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims for an increase in health visitor training places by 17% by 2028 and by 73% by 2031. The programmes schedule of interventions is available at the following link:<\/p>
https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/pathways-healthy-child/<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrea Leadsom"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-02-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-02-02T11:35:38.08Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-01-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to (a) tackle shortages of health visitors and (b) help ensure that they are resourced to support parents of children with mental health challenges.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "12141"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670370", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670370/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The information is based on the monthly National Health Service workforce statistics published by NHS England available at the following link:<\/p> https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics<\/a><\/p> The data includes staff employed by NHS trusts and other core NHS organisations and will therefore exclude staff directly employed by primary care, general practitioner surgeries, local authorities, and other providers such as community interest companies and private providers.<\/p> Local authorities have been responsible for commissioning health visiting services since 2015. These services may be commissioned from NHS trusts as well as other providers.<\/p> We do not hold staffing information for non-NHS providers.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4044", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Stephenson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Pendle"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Stephenson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-20T17:46:25.813Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many health visitors have worked in the NHS on average in each of the last 10 years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4444", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karin Smyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karin Smyth"}
], "uin" : "2165"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670391", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670391/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Since 2015, when commissioning was moved to local authorities, the Department has annually published statistics on the number of mandatory visits delivering the Healthy Child Programme by health visitors. Health visitors also deliver non-mandated visits, but we do not routinely collect or publish these numbers. Since 2015, when commissioning was moved to local authorities, the Department has annually published statistics on the number of mandatory visits delivering the Healthy Child Programme by Health Visitors. Data on additional visits is only available for 2019/20. Visit statistics are not available prior to 2015. The information is shown in the attached table.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "attachment" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1659822/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "TABLE FOR MINISTERIAL CLEARANCE - PQ198962 Attachment - HV data (1).docx"}
, "title" : "Attachment"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-09-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-09-14T16:09:50.807Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-09-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the total number of visits by health visitors that took place in each of the last 10 years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4504", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wes Streeting"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ilford North"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Wes Streeting"}
], "uin" : "198962"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1650035", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1650035/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is the responsibility of local authority commissioners, working with their service provider, to determine health visitor numbers based upon local needs. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out the steps the NHS and its partners need to take to deliver a workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. As part of this ambition, we aim to expand health visiting training places by 74% to over 1,300 by 2031/32. To support working towards this expansion, training places for health visitors will grow by 17% by 2028/29.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4423", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Will Quince"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Colchester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Will Quince"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-07-07T09:17:43.82Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-07-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that (a) the number of health visitors and (b) caseloads for health visitors return to 2015 levels.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "192373"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1588105", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1588105/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " No such assessment has been made. It is the responsibility of local authority commissioners, with their service providers, to determine health visitor numbers based upon local needs. The Government has committed to publish an NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan this year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4527", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Helen Whately"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Faversham and Mid Kent"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Helen Whately"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-02-27T13:20:10.11Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-02-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the number of health visitors that are required to operate a safe and effective service for parents; and whether he is taking steps to integrate the findings of that assessment into the NHS workforce plan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4471", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Rachael Maskell"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "York Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Rachael Maskell"}
], "uin" : "150544"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1587882", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1587882/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " It is the responsibility of local authority commissioners, with their service providers, to determine health visitor numbers based upon local needs. To support, we have also published employer guidance, including information on caseload management which is available at the following link:<\/p>
Published data at local authority level for each financial year since 2016/17 is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/child-and-maternal-health-statistics#health-visitor-service-delivery<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrea Leadsom"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-11-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1670391/answer/previousversion/2084", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4117", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Northamptonshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrea Leadsom"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-11-23T13:26:51.657Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Visitors"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department holds data on the number of health visits carried out per local authority in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4444", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Karin Smyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bristol South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Karin Smyth"}
], "uin" : "2167"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1659822", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1659822/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "