1. 150 years of health visiting –
better health for generations of families
Focus of work Time period Impact
Home visitors’, the early name for health visitors, Infant mortality reduces to 150 deaths/1000 live births
visit local communities to improve environmental and 1862 in 1860s.
1912
public health Improved home environments
Home visitors are a ‘mother’s friend,’ taking a Early campaigns include for sweated labour and
non–judgmental, practical approach to tackling the protective legislation for women
causes of ill health including sanitation and diet
In the 1890s, Florence Nightingale establishes the first
training course in health visiting
Infant mortality reduced to 100 deaths/1000 live births
Birth Acts of 1909 – 1915 mark the beginning of a
state–sponsored profession Close collaboration with midwifery
1912
Health visitors help families focus on personal, Campaign ‘to improve the undesirable condition of
1922
preventive measures such as family planning and lavatories for women on railway stations’
early immunisation Improved child health
A home visit in the first month of an infant’s life Network of Infant Welfare Clinics develops
becomes a statutory requirement for all mothers under
1922 Reduced infectious disease
1932
the Local Government Act 1929
1940, British Ministry of Health proposed introduction
Improved national diet despite introduction of
of mass childhood diphtheria immunisation
WWII rationing
Advice offered to mothers to improve their diet by, for
1932 By end of 1942, a third of English children were
example, drinking national dried milk and orange juice
1942 immunised against diphtheria
Health visitors and Infant Welfare Clinics set up
Growth of community networks for mothers
offering mothers sewing circles and cookery sessions to
and children
reduce family isolation
1948, the NHS is launched. The health visiting service
is contained in the first NHS Act 1942 Free Milk Act in 1946, requiring all children in school
Clear focus on infection control and promoting 1952 or nursery to receive a third of a pint of milk daily.
healthy diet
1955, the polio vaccination is introduced in the UK
1956, health visitor work extends to providing social and
emotional health as well as physical health for the whole 1952 Infant mortality reduced to 30 deaths/1000 live births
family, cradle to grave. 1962
Health visitor support extends to families with chronic
disease and children with special needs.

2. 150 years of health visiting –
better health for generations of families
Focus of work Time period Impact
Health visitor role firmly grounded in public health
encompassing environmental, preventative and 1962
1972
therapeutic interventions.
Promotion of pertussis vaccination for whooping cough
1972 Last recorded outbreak of indigenous polio.
1982
The ‘Back to Sleep’ cot death awareness campaign is
led by health visitors, who reduce the risk of cot death
Start of cot death reduction in UK
through interventions such as regular weighing.
Reduced prevalence of whooping cough, slow increase
Promotion of breast feeding
1982 breast feeding and better early identification of
Introduction of the Good Neighbour scheme for the
1992 disabilities and development needs
elderly and toddler groups, heralding a community–
Increased parental involvement due to introduction of
based approach
the Child Health Record
Introduction of parent health Child Health Record
Health visitors continue to lead the national ‘Back Reduction cot death nationally and slow increase in
to sleep’ campaign and are at the forefront of drive number of mothers breast feeding
to detect Post Natal Depression (PND) and promote
1992 Improved uptake MMR and reduced cases of measles,
breast feeding
2002 mumps and rubella
Sure Start Children’s Centres open across England and
Improved services for PND with multi–professional
many health visitors begin joint working arrangements,
care pathways
some teams relocating so they are children centre based
Infant mortality reduced to 5 deaths/1000 live births.
Rise in health visitor numbers for the first time
Health visitors lead delivery of the Healthy
in almost a decade
Child Programme.
Unprecedented levels of nurses entering health
Emphasis on reduced smoking and child safety
visitor training
Promotion of MMR vaccination
46 Early Implementer Sites across England spearhead
2010, Government makes first national commitment on 2002
2012 new service vision, improving coverage and quality
health visiting, to increase workforce by 4,200 and to of services
improve the universal service offer by 2015
Larger, re–energised workforce will bring
The new service model means all families will receive improved public health outcomes for children,
the Healthy Child Programme, with targeted support families and communities
tailored to their needs.
Breast-feeding rates in England are the highest ever
recorded at 83%

3. 150 years of health visiting – better health for generations of families
Focus of work
Home visitors’, the early name for health
visitors, visit local communities to improve
environmental and public health
Home visitors are a ‘mother’s friend,’ taking a
non–judgmental, practical approach to Birth Acts of 1909 – 1915 mark the beginning
tackling the causes of ill health including of a state–sponsored profession A home visit in the first month of an
sanitation and diet Health visitors help families focus on personal, infant’s life becomes a statutory
In the 1890s, Florence Nightingale establishes preventive measures such as family planning requirement for all mothers under the
the first training course in health visiting and early immunisation Local Government Act 1929
Time period 1862 1912 1922
1912 1922 1932
Infant mortality reduces to 150 deaths/1000 Infant mortality reduced to Network of Infant Welfare Clinics develops
live births in 1860s. 100 deaths/1000 live births Reduced infectious disease
Improved home environments Close collaboration with midwifery
Early campaigns include for sweated labour Campaign ‘to improve the undesirable
and protective legislation for women condition of lavatories for women on
railway stations’
Improved child health
Impact

4. 150 years of health visiting – better health for generations of families
Focus of work
1940, British Ministry of Health
proposed introduction of mass childhood 1955, the polio vaccination is introduced
diphtheria immunisation in the UK
Advice offered to mothers to improve their diet 1956, health visitor work extends to providing
by, for example, drinking national dried milk 1948, the NHS is launched. social and emotional health as well as physical Health visitor role firmly grounded in
and orange juice The health visiting service is contained in health for the whole family, cradle to grave. public health encompassing environmental,
Health visitors and Infant Welfare Clinics set the first NHS Act Health visitor support extends to families with preventative and therapeutic interventions.
up offering mothers sewing circles and cookery Clear focus on infection control and chronic disease and children with Promotion of pertussis vaccination for
sessions to reduce family isolation promoting healthy diet special needs. whooping cough
Time period 1932 1942 1952 1962
1942 1952 1962 1972
Improved national diet despite introduction of Free Milk Act in 1946, requiring all Infant mortality reduced to 30 deaths/1000
WWII rationing children in school or nursery to receive a live births
By end of 1942, a third of English children third of a pint of milk daily.
were immunised against diphtheria
Growth of community networks for mothers
and children
Impact

5. 150 years of health visiting – better health for generations of families
Focus of work
Health visitors lead delivery of the Healthy
Child Programme.
The ‘Back to Sleep’ cot death awareness Emphasis on reduced smoking and child safety
campaign is led by health visitors, who reduce Health visitors continue to lead the
Promotion of MMR vaccination
the risk of cot death through interventions such national ‘Back to sleep’ campaign and
are at the forefront of drive to detect Post 2010, Government makes first national
as regular weighing.
Natal Depression (PND) and promote commitment on health visiting, to increase
Promotion of breast feeding workforce by 4,200 and to improve the
breast feeding Sure Start Children’s
Introduction of the Good Neighbour scheme Centres open across England and many universal service offer by 2015
for the elderly and toddler groups, heralding a health visitors begin joint working The new service model means all families will
community– based approach arrangements, some teams relocating so receive the Healthy Child Programme, with
Introduction of parent health Child Health Record they are children centre based targeted support tailored to their needs.
Time period 1972 1982 1992 2002
1982 1992 2002 2012
Last recorded outbreak of indigenous polio. Start of cot death reduction in UK Reduction cot death nationally and Infant mortality reduced to 5 deaths/
Reduced prevalence of whooping slow increase in number of mothers 1000 live births.
cough, slow increase breast feeding and breast feeding Rise in health visitor numbers for the first time
better early identification of disabilities and Improved uptake MMR and reduced in almost a decade
development needs cases of measles, mumps and rubella Unprecedented levels of nurses entering health
Increased parental involvement due to Improved services for PND with multi– visitor training
introduction of the Child Health Record professional care pathways 46 Early Implementer Sites across England
spearhead new service vision, improving
coverage and quality of services
Larger, re–energised workforce will bring
improved public health outcomes for children,
families and communities
Breast-feeding rates in England are the highest
ever recorded at 83%
Impact