Janet Davies: Health visitor cuts threatening children's futures
RCN general secretary Janet Davies warns cuts are undermining previous drive to recruit health visitors.
It feels as inevitable as the turning of the leaves – that time of year when winter pressures begin to loom, with staff shortages a key part of the problem, and services paying the price of government cuts to training places.
The assumption is that if only there were more staff, they could help plug some of the many gaps in the nursing workforce.
But it isn’t always that straightforward.
There are areas within nursing where we do have more staff – but they aren’t being given the chance to do their work. Just look at health visiting.
This essential service plays a key role in the fight against preventable health problems. In 2010, the Coalition Government acknowledged its value,
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