Cuts row as health visitors given pupils role

From September, health visitors in North Yorkshire will be asked to check on primary school youngsters in Northallerton, Richmond, Thirsk, Ryedale, Selby, Scarborough and Whitby.

Union Unite has criticised the move it blames on cuts by North

Yorkshire's primary care trust (PCT).

Karen Reay, Unite national officer for health, said: "It is a disgrace that this PCT, which covers the third largest population of any PCT in England, should have adopted such measures that can only be detrimental to the health and welfare of thousands of families and children."

The union claims the number of health visitors fell from 200 in 2005 to 133 this year.

It said there were only eight school nurses for the whole of the county, excluding York which has different arrangements.

And it said health visitors, who have already seen their caseload numbers climb to more than 600 families each, were now being told they will have to adopt "corporate" case loads, where all families are pooled and the link with the individual family is lost.

Karen Reay said the decision by the PCT was "financially-driven and not in the best interests of families".

Health visitors had campaigned against the changes but were ignored by health bosses.

Jo Harding, general manager of children and specialist services at North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Services, said: "Our health visitors are being asked to use their transferable health visiting skills and competency to work with the broader population aged 0-11 as opposed to continuing to work only with the 0-5 population."

She said extensive consultations had been held with staff over the changes and training would be provided. Recruitment was under way.