Health visiting (Hounslow)

Video consultations

Due to the current situation with Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have had to make some changes to the way we work in the community. We want to ensure that the families, children and young people that really need our support can still access help, we continue to offer home visits for some health visiting contacts and have implemented video consultations for other contacts.

Video calling is as convenient as a phone call, with the added value of face-to-face communication. It can save you time and brings your care closer to home.

What is a health visitor?Photograph of a child enjoying the health visiting service

A Health Visitor is a qualified and registered nurse or midwife who works primarily with pre-school children and families. The role of the Health Visitor is about the promotion of health and the prevention of illness in all age groups. The health visitor leads a skill mix team of community staff nurses and community nursery nurses
 
The health visiting team are be able to support and advise on areas such as breast feeding and weaning, emotional wellbeing, attachment, safety, immunisation, physical and emotional development and other aspects of health and childcare. They are also able to provide support with behaviour management, toilet training, sleep and school readiness.
 
Health visitors can advise on all aspects of family health and social issues that may impact on families. Health visitors work in partnership with GPs and other members of the primary healthcare team, and other health professionals such as therapists, community paediatricians, and child and adolescent mental health services.

Health visitors work in collaboration with other agencies such as local authority children’s services and early years children’s services.
 
The health visiting service also has close contact with, and may refer families to, support groups in the voluntary sector such as Home Start. The team are able to signpost clients to services in the local community. 

You can find out more about the role of health visitors by downloading the patient information leaflets on the right hand side of this page.

Or view our new video that highlights the amazing support Hounslow's Health Visiting Service offers mums-to-be and young families.

Health visiting service

Health visitors are always there to help you, never to judge you or your parenting. 

Booked Child Health appointments are now available

Some Well Child Clinic appointments are now available, depending on clinical need. Please book through our Administration Hub on 020 8973 3490.

Please see our section on Self Weigh Stations for further information on where you can go to check your baby's weight.

 

Breastfeeding clinics

Feeding support is available - no appointment required, just drop-in!

Whether getting ready to breastfeed, establishing breastfeeding, continuing breastfeeding, expressing, mixed feeding, formula feeding, introducing solids, or stopping breastfeeding, join us to receive support, encouragement and reliable information.

Full details

Midwives will refer Babies who are eligible for BCG to community vaccination clinics to be vaccinated; if you are worried your baby may have missed their BCG vaccination please contact the health visiting service on 020 8973 3490 or via Email: HRCH.hvadminhub@nhs.net.

Patient information leaflet

More information

Visit the BCG tuberculosis information provided by NHS Choices

What do I need to make a video call?

A good connection to the internet
If you can watch a video online (e.g. YouTube) you can make a video call

A private, well-lit area where you will not be disturbed during the consultation

One of these:

  • Google Chrome web browser on a desktop or laptop, or on an Android tablet or smartphone
  • Safari web browser on an Apple iMac, MacBook, iPad or iPhone 

Web-camera, speakers, and microphone already built into laptops or mobile devices

Find out more

Is it secure?

Video calls are secure - your privacy is protected.

You have your own private video room that only authorised clinicians can enter.

How much internet data will I use?

You don’t use any data while waiting for a clinician to join you.

An Attend Anywhere video call uses a similar amount of data to Skype or FaceTime. The video call is free, except for your internet usage.

Find out more

Make sure you have one of the following web browsers:

Google Chrome
Windows 7+, Android 5.1+, MacOS 10.11+, iPad OS13+

Apple Safari
MacOS 10.12+, iOS 11.4+, iPadOS 13+

  1. Go to the web address you are given by the service
  2. Click the Start video call button and follow instructions
  3. Wait in your own private video room
  4. Your clinician will see you arrive in the waiting area and will join you in your video room when they are ready

General enquiries

The Health Visiting Team can be contacted via a centralised Administration Hub on 020 8973 3490 / email: hrch.hvadminhub@nhs.net  

The Health Visiting Service follows the Healthy Child Programme, which recognises the first five years of a child’s life as the most important for human development. We offer 4 tiers of healthcare and prevention to support families in making healthy choices to promote their child’s health, growth and development. 

To contact and/or make a referral to your local Health Visiting Team please contact the trust's health visiting administration service on 020 8973 3490

Email: HRCH.hvadminhub@nhs.net

Or write to:

Teddington Health & Social Care Centre
18 Queens Road
Teddington
TW11 0LR

The health visiting team offers a core universal health visiting service to every family with a child under 5 years of age consisting of an:

  • antenatal contact

  • new birth contact between 10 – 14 days after birth

  • assessment of maternal emotional well-being

  • child health reviews at 1 and 2 years of age

  • telephone advice line

  • routine growth monitoring at well child health clinics 

Universal plus service

The health visiting team can provide some extra advice and support when you need specific expert help with, for example, postnatal depression, your child’s sleep, feeding or behaviour issues.

Universal partnership plus service

If you need additional help because you may be experiencing, for example, domestic violence or mental health problems, the health visiting team will work with you and other professionals to devise a support plan to enable your child to reach their full potential.

Worried your child is unwell?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness, it can help you to feel more in control.

This information in this section deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy. It is not meant for children who have ongoing health problems such as asthma, heart or kidney problems.

If you urgently need medical help or advice, call NHS 111.

How to help your unwell child

How to help your unwell child cover.pngThis simple-to-follow leaflet is your guide to:

  • coughs and colds
  • diarrhoea and vomiting 
  • fever
  • ear problems
  • rashes and dry skin
  • first aid kits

It tells you how you can treat your child at home and symptoms to look for which may need more investigation by a healthcare professional.

Is it serious?

Other useful documents

When should I worry? Leaflet for parents

Royal College of Paediatrics advice page

Baby Check App by the Lullaby Trust

Accessing local emergency services during Covid-19

Advice for parents during coronavirus (Covid-19)

Isolating safely at home - This document contains specific information for pregnant women and mothers who have recently given birth.

Go straight to the emergency department (A&E) or call 999 if your child:

  • Looks mottled, bluish or pale
  • Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
  • Feels abnormally cold to touch
  • Is breathing much faster than normal
  • Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
  • Has a fit or convulsion