To wonder why HV still peddle bad advice?

[Endoftheroad16]

Specifically regarding using electric socket covers!
My HV asked if I was using them and seemed horrified when I said that I wasn't. I asked her to do some research as they are not safe for use with UK sockets. She said she would but I got the impression she thought I was a fool.

I thought the NHS had updated their advice on this?

[yellowfrog]

The NHS did indeed. Print this off and show it to your HV :)

www.cas.dh.gov.uk/ViewandAcknowledgment/ViewAlert.aspx?AlertID=102494

[Matchingbluesocks]

Why is there is much HV bashing on here? Bloody hell.

[Matchingbluesocks]

That link isn't related to the home and just says "in some circumstances" why would a HV be reading that sort of thing anyway? It's facilities management focused

[yellowfrog]

It's more that that link shows that the NHS has realised and acted on the fact that socket covers are dangerous. I would assume HVs should be aware of this change in policy (which was pretty widerly reported) if they are going to be telling people to use socket covers

[ComfortingKormaBalls]

HV Managers should receive alerts, but it just says to cascade to GPs and Dentists.

[Tarla]

This site gives a good explanation of why socket covers should not be used in UK sockets

www.fatallyflawed.org.uk/

No socket covers currently being sold have been BS approved/kite marked as being safe for use in sockets.

[Matchingbluesocks]

I don't understand why health visitors would get alerts related to facilities.

[Scentofwater]

Matching, I think if a HV is giving out bad, outdated advice then that is worrying isn't it? HVs are in a position of power/trust in a similar way to other health professionals and teachers etc. They go into people's homes to give advice, and not all who receive that advice would double check it.

They do a lot of good, but have the potential to do harm. I think MN is the perfect place to point out mistakes like this- perhaps others who also don't know about socket protectors being dangerous or who have accepted this hvs advice on face value will see it!

[Inthenick]

There seems to be very little oversight of HV's. I've heard both first and second hand such total and utter rubbish from numerous HVs so now I just remain respectful but don't really listen to their advice on anything.

[yellowfrog]

I'm not saying the HV should have got that specific alert - I'm saying that the NHS recently advised that socket covers were not safe and that that was widely reported in the press. I would hope that an HV, if she was going to discuss socket covers, would make sure she was up to date on the information she was giving

[Tarla]

When I was a first time mum I remember the HV telling me that newborn DS should be putting on roughly half a pound a week, give or take, then telling me off because he'd gained three pounds in eight weeks. He was 9lb born and 12lb that day, all she kept saying was "No eight week old should weigh twelve pounds. Twelve pounds!" then quizzed me on how of the he was feeding and roughly how much the told me that if I'd been breastfeeding he wouldn't be "gaining too much weight". I felt like shit afterwards but thankfully I had a GP who told me that there was nothing wrong with DS.

HVs should be periodically monitored to make sure they're giving advice that is both current and actually helpful.

[user1474627704]

I thought the NHS had updated their advice on this

Yes, how dare incredibly busy professionals not know everything! They really should be checking the NHS guidelines daily so they don't miss anything.

You told her something she didn't know, she said she's look into it. What do you want, ábject apologies for being a bit out of date?

[Tarla]

The NHS update was published on 30th June 2016 so hardly "a bit out of date". She should be making sure the advice she is giving out is current and five months is plenty of time to have made sure she was aware of changes.

[Endoftheroad16]

Er yes she absolutely should be checking that she is up to date with NHS guidelines - it's her job!!

She said she would look into it, but like I said she clearly thought I was a fool and I didn't come away feeling that she really would. It was more said to get me to move on as we were butting heads over it. She was adamant she was right and had been trying to convince me that I was wrong but I wouldn't concede.

[Matchingbluesocks]

But where is it guidelines? The document you've linked to has nothing to do with the guidelines related to advice HV give parents for bringing up their children in their homes. I don't understand why you think this is a guideline

[Oblomov16]

Matching, HV's should but be giving out dated and incorrect advice.

[Topseyt]

I remember one HV telling me how serious it was that my 12 month old DD1 would not take lumpy food from a spoon.

DD loved finger food and could chew well. She would also eat anything mashed. She simply didn't want to take anything except purée from a spoon until she could manage the spoon properly herself. A valid choice as far as I was concerned.

I never went again. I didn't like being told that there was something wrong with my perfectly healthy child and that she couldn't be eating properly because of this apparently huge problem.

With DD2 and DD3 I had very good HVs, though really only saw them occasionally at the baby clinic for weighing.

[pigsDOfly]

The NHS update may have been published in June this year but it has been know for quite some time that these things are dangerous. Something I would expect a HV to be aware of.

It's a long time since my DCs were small and I had dealings with HV but it seems not a lot changes in the HV world, lot of misinformation and unhelpful stuff in my time too.

[Fourfifthsof]

I have never had a positive experience with a HV. In fact, they made my PND immeasurably worse with their shit advice. There needs to be more oversight and monitoring - they deal with vulnerable women and while I am sure there are some excellent ones, I am unfortunately yet to encounter one.

[Xenophile]

NHS guideline

More

God alone knows why it took the DoH as long as it did to issue this alert, it's been a known issue for about the last 20 years.

[QueenArseClangers]

Yes, HVs should be up to date with safety info like this. However, every single HV I've had has been great and, having had 5DC, that's a lot!

I'm a right gobby cow so not a shrinking violet at sticking up for myself but haven't had any duff advice/situations with them!

Last one I had radiated empathy and flagged up my PND and then referred baby to have her posterior TT clipped after midwife had missed it but I had brought it up.

Am I just lucky or are we not hearing enough about 'good' health visitors?

[user1474627704]

Er yes she absolutely should be checking that she is up to date with NHS guidelines - it's her job!!

No it's not.

[Tarla]

Yes it is her job! She's giving advice and has a professional obligation to ensure that this advice is safe, relevant and up to date.

[RubbishMantra]

I can't remember the term, (it's basically keeping up with current guidelines/practices) but shouldn't health care professionals do a certain amount of hours p/a spent attending courses/workshops to keep them up to date with new guidelines etc.?

[Fourfifthsof]

Queenarse please can you send a couple of good ones over to me please?

I am also good at sticking up for myself but I was a new first time mother who listened to everything they said and unfortunately for me, they didn't say much that was helpful. I was told by one of them to disregard the advice of a Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist and a Dietician and to feed my baby what she said.

Seriously.