Agenda item

The report provides an update of recruitment of health visitors in Brent following an earlier report to the committee on 30 May 2012.

Jacinth Jeffers (Ealing Hospital NHS Trust) introduced the report that updated Members on the recruitment of health visitors in the borough.  She began by stating that the pan-London recruitment programme had accepted 250 new health visiting students by October 2012 specifically for health trusts across the capital.  However, the planned number of ‘return to practice students’ had fallen short of that forecast for London, with just one interviewed in October 2012.  As a result of this shortfall, a refocusing of efforts on recruiting more full time students was being undertaken.  Jacinth Jeffers drew Members’ attention to the table in the report dealing with recruitment of health visitors in Brent, which included two externally recruited health visitors and three internal staff that had trained in Brent and she emphasised the importance of retaining students trained in the borough.  Members heard that a new role, a peripatetic specialist community practice teacher (SCPT) had been introduced, of which there were five allocated places including three for student places.  Efforts to recruit health visitors internationally were also being considered and an update on this could be provided at a future meeting of the committee.

During discussion, Councillor Gladbaum enquired how long the health visitor training courses were and whether those who had declined offer of posts was due to pay differentials between different boroughs.  Councillor Hunter sought an explanation as to why return to practice student numbers were low in London and was the refresher course being re-structured accordingly for their needs, such as taking into account a possible lack of familiarity with some of the IT tools used.   She also asked if job sharing was available and why was there a shortage of health visitors in London and why did problems continue in respect of their recruitment.  Councillor Hector felt that issues with regard to lack of IT familiarity should be applicable nationally and felt that there needed to be further exploration as to the underlying reasons why there was lack of return to practice students. 

Councillor Harrison, in noting that Brent had a shortage of seven health visitors, sought confirmation that those leaving the service were asked for their reasons why and what measures were in place to try and attract more to the borough.  Councillor Leaman enquired what authority would be responsible for the overall strategy for recruiting health visitors when NHS London ceases to exist in 2013.

The Chair asked if discussions had commenced regarding arrangements when the council would take over recruitment of health visitors. 

In reply, Jacinth Jeffers confirmed that all health visitors were required to be registered nurses and that the health visitor course lasted a year. The main reasons given for declining health visitor posts in Brent were usually of a personal nature and it was confirmed that health visitors were paid the same rate across the country at national pay scale at Band 6 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale.  A London-wide evaluation was being undertaken as to the lack of return to practice students, which drawing on the comments from the two candidates interviewed for Brent was down to lack of familiarity with regard to IT.  However, training could be adapted according to need and depending on how long they had been absent from the service and a year’s training would be required if they had been away for more than ten years.  The Director of Nursing for London was also developing a strategy to provide greater incentives for those considering being a health visitor.  Jacinth Jeffers informed Members that the usual reason for those leaving the health visitors service was because they were retiring and there were also a number of part time returnees, with some sharing caseloads, although every effort was made to retain health visitors recruited for as long as possible.  Support was also given to university colleges to explain the role of health visitors to those students who were studying other types of nursing.  However, historically health visitors’ role had always been under promoted and this partly explained the shortfall.  Jacinth Jeffers advised that incremental steps were being devised with regard to the council taking over recruitment of health visitors.

Yvonne Leese (Ealing Hospital NHS Trust) added that the London regional office of the National Commissioning Board would assume the overall strategy for recruitment of health visitors when NHS London dissolves in 2013.  In the meantime, NHS London was working collectively with all London NHS trusts on this issue.  With regard to the problems in recruiting health visitors, she explained that some nurses were wary about the role in terms of safeguarding issues and assuming a front line role, however efforts were being made to reassure potential candidates.  Information was still being put together as to why return to practice students was low, however work practices had changed significantly over the years and the appropriate training and support needed to be in place.