Website of the Department of Health

Announced as part of the Government's Green Paper Every Child Matters, the review identifies what can be done to ensure that children and young people receive the care and support they need from nurses, midwives and health visitors. The recommendations of the review are wide ranging and include some important messages, such as:

Speaking at the Mary Sheridan Centre for Child Health in London, Sarah Mullally, said:

"In carrying out this review I have listened to what children and young people have to say about services and what matters most to them. I have engaged practitioners and a wide range of other stakeholders and heard their views. I have been impressed by the high levels of commitment shown towards children and young people and the common desire to improve services.

"In my visits to the NHS I see many examples of innovation and good practice in children's services delivered by highly skilled and dedicated nurses, midwives and health visitors. We need to make these common place and make sure that the most vulnerable children and young people benefit from the skills of these professionals and their teams. 

"This review sets out  a clear agenda for the professions. It is for every nurse, midwife, health visitor whose work brings them into contact with children and young people to take this agenda forward, wherever they work."

Welcoming the Chief Nursing Officer's Review, Health Secretary, John Reid, said

'Nurses, midwives and health visitors are critical to improving the health of children and young people at all stages in their lives because they are close to them and their carers - you listen to them and they listen to you.

'We are determined to support nurses, midwives and health visitors to improve the outcomes for vulnerable children and young people. We particularly want to strengthen their public health role. We want to see the NHS increase the number of school nurses. For too long the needs of school children have been overlooked and school nursing services have suffered as a result. We want to see the NHS put that right.

"We strongly urge the NHS to take account of these recommendations when they are planning their services locally.'

General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing Beverly Malone, said:

"We fully support recommendations for specialist public health nurses for children and young people.  The RCN firmly believes that if every school had a nurse, enormous strides could be taken in tackling issues affecting young people such as obesity or sexual activity.

"We also recognise that strong links need to be built between children's and practice nurses, health visitors and community children's nurses, so that the specific needs of children are met.  This review is an important recognition of those priorities and we look forward to seeing the detail of how implementation is to be ensured."