Early Start
Early Start Ealing is a service for families – pregnant mums, expectant dads, parents, babies and children up to the age of five; bringing together workers from children’s centres, early years, healthy and other specialist services.
An Early Start Health Visitor’s role is a varied one and is an integral part of the NHS Community Health Service. The main focus of their work is prevention, helping young children stay healthy and avoid illness.
A Health Visitor is a qualified registered nurse or midwife with specialist qualifications in community health, including child health, health promotion and education.
Children under five have a named health visitor. Health visitors offer support and encouragement to families through the early years from pregnancy and birth to primary school and beyond and work closely with GP’s and cover the geographical area of the GP practice.
Health visitors offer help and advice to parents on the following:
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Their child’s growth & development
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Common infections in childhood
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Common skin problems
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Behaviour difficulties
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Sleeping, eating, potty training, temper tantrums and teething.
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Breastfeeding, weaning, healthy eating, hygiene, safety and exercise
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Postnatal depression, bereavement and violence in the family
And are involved in:
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Coordinating child immunisation programmes
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Organising and running baby clinics
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Health promotion groups
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Breast feeding support groups
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Parent support groups
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Parenting courses
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Nurse prescribing
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Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH) will deliver health visiting and school nursing services in Ealing.
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They will also launch MESCH - Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting - a new approach to ensure vulnerable families receive additional support from the anti-natal stage through to two years alongside the existing Family Nurse Partnership.
CLCH and the Local Authority will be working in an integrated way to provide families in Ealing with the best possible care.
Email contacts for your local health visiting teams are as follows:
clcht.ealingadminhub@nhs.net - Central 'Single point of access' and admin email
clcht.ace-earlystartealing@nhs.net - Acton and central Locality
clcht.nag-earlystartealing@nhs.net Northolt and Greenford Locality
clcht.swe-earlystartealing@nhs.net - Southall and West Ealing Locality
Admin Hub Telephone: 020 8102 5888
For more information visit Early Start Ealing (external link)
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