Rotherham Council can confirm that The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) will continue to deliver the Children’s Public Health Nursing Service after it was successful through an open tender.
These services are already provided by the Trust for Rotherham families under the current contract, but this needed to be renewed by April 2023. Following a successful outcome for the Trust, they will now continue to provide the service until at least 31 March 2028, with the Council then having an option to extend the contract for up to a further five years
The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is the national programme for children aged 0-19, which brings together health, education, and other key partners to deliver support and intervention.
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Cllr David Roche said: “This is welcome news for our children and their families. The new contract will ensure that The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust continues to deliver this vital service.
“We’re looking forward to being able to build on our achievements of the past six years by working with our partners to further improve services.”
The local service is principally staffed by Health Visitors and School Nurses but also includes a wider supporting workforce.
Rotherham's current service was tendered and awarded to TRFT in 2016.
The service to all Rotherham families includes:
For 0-5 year-olds
- Providing families with a programme of screening, immunisation, health and development reviews
- child safeguarding
- identifying and supporting vulnerable children and families
The School Nursing services for 5-19 year-olds includes:
- ensuring children are ready to make the transition to school life and supporting children and schools for ongoing health and wellbeing matters.
- supporting vulnerable children and those not in school, including children in care, young carers, and young offenders
- supporting children who are home educated