The Health Visiting Team consists of 2 Health Visitors and a Nursery Nurse. They are located at WBCH
Home visits are offered to new parents and their families in the 1st 6 weeks postnatally. Following that, access to baby clinics and the post natal support group is available. A developmental check is done at 8 months old and questionnaires sent at 2½ years and 3½ years old.
Other visits can be arranged by agreement between you and the Health Visitor. The Health Visitor cares for the health of the whole family.
CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKS: Are offered by the Health Visitor at the surgery or at home if the baby is young. At 3 1/2 yrs your child will be offered a physical examination with your doctor. These are opportunities to discuss any worries you may have about your child's health and development.
CHILDHOOD ILLNESS A health visitor is available Monday-Friday gam to loam for guidance on the management of childhood illness. If your child needs a doctor then an appointment should be made by the usual way i.e. phoning the surgery.
CHILDHOOD IMMUNISATIONS: It is important that your child receives protection from infectious diseases through immunisation. The Practice Nursing team runs a clinic dedicated to childhood immunisations: for children under five years old. This is run concurrently with the Health Visitor child health clinic on Tuesday afternoons. Your health visitor is willing to give you advice on immunisations.
IMMUNISATION SCHEDULES If your baby is 8 weeks old- Phone for the surgery for the first of THREE immunisation appointment as soon as the baby is 6 weeks old If your baby is 12 weeks and 16 weeks old -make appointments as you leave the surgery after the last immunisation, or phone for an appointment 13 months old- Phone the surgery for an MMR appointment 4 years old- Phone the surgery for the Pre-School booster immunisation
CHILD HEALTH CLINIC For children under 5 yrs old: Health Visitors run this clinic on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons 1.30pm-3.30pm. Please phone the surgery for an appointment.
POSTNATAL SUPPORT GROUP `Tiddlers' is a postnatal support group run by health visitors for parents of very young babies on the 2nd and 4d' Wednesday of the month. This group offers information on sleep, crying, weaning, feeding, growth and development, minor ailments and safety. Training is offered to parents for resuscitation and baby massage. It is also an opportunity to meet other parents who attend the surgery. Speak to your health visitor for more information.
SMOKING CESSATION: A trained smoking cessation counsellor will help you to give up smoking. Your doctor or nurse may refer you to this service. You can refer yourself to this clinic but you do need to be a patient at this surgery. Ring the surgery for an appointment for further information about stopping smoking.
