More than 84,000 newborn babies ‘missed out’ on health visitor checks

Figures from the Institute of Health Visiting suggest England has a national shortage of at least 5,000 health visitors

Children’s campaigners said early face-to-face health visits were vital for flagging safeguarding concerns and supporting parents (Andrew Matthews/PA) (PA Wire)

More than 84,000 babies missed out on health visitor checks within the first two weeks of life last year, new data shows.

Figures from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities show a drop in the proportion of babies given a health visitor check on time, from 88% in 2020/21 to 83% in 2021/22.

In the East of England, the proportion receiving visits within 14 days was 71%, while it was 73% in the South West.