Health visitors from around the north-east have enhanced their skills in line with new nation-wide professional standards at Robert Gordon University (RGU).
More than 30 health visitors attended training sessions at the university’s Faculty of Health and Social Care recently to reaffirm and extend knowledge about the Children and Young People's Act (Scotland) 2014.
The Act will come in to full effect in August 2016 and involves a Named Person's role that health visitors will undertake. This confirms the knowledge already gained by health visitors following a national approach across Scotland in order that health visitors are confident about any changes to their role.
Lecturer Liz Sturley from RGU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery worked with colleagues, Debbie Wishart and Antony Forkuo from the Public Health Nursing team to organise and run the sessions at the request of the Scottish Government.
She said: “The Scottish Government has initiated the Children and Young People's Act in order to help make Scotland the best place for children to grow up in.
“The health visiting workforce are highly proficient practitioners who are motivated to support families with wellbeing issues that their children may experience, and the change in role to Named Person should enhance the existing health visiting service to further support the needs of families.
“We are proud to play our part here at Robert Gordon University to make sure health visitors in the north-east are aware of the changes and what it will mean for the service they provide.”