Health visitor

Health visitors support, educate and advise families through pregnancy until the child’s fifth birthday. They make sure that families can access support services and, if necessary, refer them to other healthcare specialists.

Work activities

Health visitors work with parents and families to ensure that babies and children have the best start in life. They visit families at home and hold clinics and drop-in sessions at GP surgeries and local health centres. One of their main responsibilities is to check the development of babies and children through regular home visits and clinic sessions. Health visitors work closely with midwives, sometimes making antenatal visits alongside them to introduce themselves to families and advise on pregnancy issues. After the birth, they take over responsibility from the midwife and keep this until the child is 5 years old. New birth visits include giving advice on issues such as feeding, diet and sleep patterns. They also carry out health and development checks on the baby. Throughout their period of responsibility, they make regular checks at home and in clinics. They give families advice on issues such as safety, mobility and speech and language development, nutrition, immunisation and obesity.

Health visitors also support and advise the family as a whole. For example, they support mothers with postnatal depression, making sure they can access services. Caring for the family could also involve detecting problems, including child abuse, working with families that have children on the child protection register, and supporting the victims of domestic violence. Health visitors make sure that families have access to the range of services that can support them and keep them healthy. These services are part of the Healthy Child Programme (HCP). Health visitors also develop services, working with healthcare professionals, agencies and voluntary organisations to make sure that services are available locally. They decide what level of support families need from the HCP. Some families will need support with specific issues or general support over a longer period. Health visitors advise on children’s development. For example, they might suggest books or games to help with speech and language development. If need be, they will refer the family to an appropriate healthcare professional for more support. Health visitors build effective working relationships with GP, other healthcare professionals such as speech and language therapists and nurses, and voluntary agencies. They have to write and keep accurate records and reports.

Personal qualities and skills

To be a health visitor, you’ll need:

The ability to communicate with people of all ages, cultures and social backgrounds.
Sensitivity and tact. When making visits, you must respect the fact that you are working in people’s homes.
Listening skills.
The ability to give clear explanations and advice.
To be able to reassure and encourage people.
Strong observation skills to pick up on signs of ill health that are not revealed in conversation. For example, you have to notice when a mother is experiencing postnatal depression.
Emotional strength to deal with issues such as bereavement, child abuse and drug dependency.
The ability to make decisions alone, and to take responsibility for those decisions.
Stamina – the work can be physically, emotionally and intellectually demanding.
Teamwork skills.
Organisational skills.
Written skills to produce reports.

A driving licence is usually essential.

Pay and opportunities

NHS employees are paid on the rising Agenda for Change payscale, according to their skills and responsibilities. Health visitors start on band 6, earning £35,392.

Health visitors work a basic 37.5-hour week, which could include day, evening and weekend work.

Health visitors work in a variety of places, including GP surgeries, local health clinics and children’s centres, as well as families’ own homes. Opportunities for health visitors occur in towns, cities and rural areas throughout the UK. There are also opportunities to work in other countries (some countries require extra qualifications).

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Jobs website, in local/national newspapers, on the Government’s Find a Job service and on job boards.

Entry routes and training

To become a health visitor, you must first be a registered nurse or midwife and then take further training. This training is at degree level and takes at least one year to complete full-time, or the part-time equivalent.

To work as a nurse in the NHS, you must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which means you’ll need a degree in nursing. It is possible to work your way up from a healthcare assistant and progress to apply for a place on a degree course. You will still need to meet the entry requirements.

One way to get the qualifications you need is to do a level 7 (degree) apprenticeship in the role of specialist community public health nurse, which includes health visitor as one possible pathway. This is a more work-based training route – you’ll work towards qualifications while gaining skills, knowledge and experience on the job.

You will usually need a minimum of five GCSEs at grades 9-4 (typically including English and a science subject), plus two A-levels or equivalent. However, some universities may ask for three A-levels so make sure you check with them directly.

You could progress into a specialist, advanced team leader role or a management, research or teaching post.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: This career is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

For entry onto a nursing degree course, the usual requirement is:

Two or three A-levels. Some universities ask for at least one science subject. Psychology and Sociology can be other preferred subjects.
Five GCSEs at grades 9-4, including English, maths and a science subject.

Alternatives to A-levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 Nationals.
A relevant NVQ level 3.
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary, so please check prospectuses carefully.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for organisations to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Some employers enable experienced staff in relevant positions (such as senior healthcare assistants or assistant practitioners) to take a pre-registration nursing or midwifery degree course part-time on full salary, as long as they meet the usual entry requirements.

If you don’t have the qualifications that are usually needed to enter a nursing or midwifery degree course, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course, for example, Access to Nursing or Midwifery. You don’t usually need any qualifications to start an Access course, but you should check individual course details. Other possible routes into nursing or midwifery degree courses can be an NVQ/diploma level 3 in a relevant subject or modular course credits from the Open University.

If you’ve had a break from nursing or midwifery and want to return to the NHS, you’ll need to complete a Return to Practice (RTP) programme that is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The programmes refresh clinical skills and there are classroom sessions to discuss theory. Many RTP courses are part-time.

Related careers

District nurse
Health promotion practitioner
Midwife
Nurse
Occupational health nurse