THIRTEEN new health visitors are to be taken on in Bury.
It is part of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust’s plan to employ 63 additional health visitors over the next three years, thanks to investment of £2.7 million.
Commissioners from NHS Bury, NHS Oldham and NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale have provided the funding to Pennine Care in response to the Government’s drive to expand and strengthen health visiting services.
Pennine Care has already started the recruitment drive and will have 13 new health visitors trained and in post by this September, with a further 13 in place by this time next year.
Bosses have earmarked 12.5 posts for Bury.
Dr Kiran Patel, chairman and clinical lead for Bury’s shadow clinical commissioning group, said: “We recognise the importance of providing early intervention and support to help babies and young children have the best start in life.”
“We know that what happens in childhood has a significant impact on later life and that by intervening early we can help prevent ill health in future years.
He added: “The additional investment in health visiting will mean that families can access a range of support in convenient local settings such as children’s centres, health centres and their own homes.”
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