From 1 April 2017 Children and Family Health Surrey is providing NHS children’s community health services across Surrey. Children, young people and their families and carers are set to benefit from one service providing both physical and emotional wellbeing services across the county. These community health services focus on the prevention of ill health, promoting and supporting child development and providing targeted and specialist medical, nursing and therapy services.
Children and Family Health Surrey services are provided under one contract by three established NHS providers in Surrey: CSH Surrey, First Community Health and Care, and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust. By working together as one service, Children and Family Health Surrey will ensure children and young people continue to be at the centre of the care they receive as well as improve access to healthcare services across the county.
Services include:
- health visiting as part of the national Healthy Child Programme
- school nursing, which aims to keep children and young people well through proactive and preventative support
- specialist nursing and therapy services that support children and young people with additional needs
- School age immunisations
- emotional wellbeing services.
From 1 April to 30 June services will be provided in the same way as before and most contact numbers will stay the same. From 1 July 2017 children, young people, their families and carers will begin to see differences in how services are provided. These will include:
- A single access point with one phone number – for families and healthcare professionals across Surrey to access and refer into community physical and emotional wellbeing services
- Shared electronic Health records across Children and Family Health Surrey
- Extended health visitor advice line so parents and carers of babies and young children can get health care and support more easily
- Closer working between school nurses and health visitor from Children and Family Health Surrey and CAMHS (Children and adolescent mental health services).
Professor Jo Pritchard MBE, Chair of the Children and Family Health Alliance Board, says: “The experienced and committed health and care professionals providing the Children and Family Health Surrey service are looking forward to delivering integrated health services across the county, making it easier and quicker for families to get the healthcare, support and advice they need, wherever they live. Our vision for children’s community health services was developed by focusing first and foremost on the needs of children, young people and their families.”
A new website www.childrenshealthsurrey.nhs.uk also launched on 1 April 2017 to support Children and Family Health services and promote child and family health and wellbeing. The site has contact details for local services as well as a range of support information and advice.
Until 30 March 2017 Children’s NHS community health services in Surrey were provided by CSH Surrey (mid Surrey), First Community Health and Care (east Surrey) and Virgin Care Services Ltd (north west and west Surrey).
Under the new contract, all of the existing services will operate as one county-wide service alongside Mindsight Surrey Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).