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Original poster

If you have moved county/area, were you contacted by your new GPs health visiting service ?(Daniel pPlka related)

44 replies

Owllady · 17/09/2013 15:04

I noticed that Daniel Pelka case it has been noted that Coventry had the lowest number of Health visitors in the country (though this has now doubled)

I have moved county twice since my eldest were tiny. The initial area we lived in we had a HV but I moved when the children were 4 & 2 and I didn't have another health visitor until 4 years later when I had my youngest, despite the fact the 4 yr old had significant developmental delays. The HV was fleeting and we just saw her a couple of weeks following the birth.

I moved area again when the youngest was 2 and the others were 8 and 10. I have never seen a HV at all here. Infact, despite my eldest being a 'child in need' I was willfully ignored by social services for a whole year, then imo neglected for a further year. My eldest is a child in need due to severe disability, not neglect or abuse, but she is an extremely vulnerable individual and I do find it shocking it isn't followed up when you move.

I just wondered what other peoples experiences of moving counties were and whether you were ever followed up by professionals?

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 17/09/2013 15:08

We moved areas when ds was 14 months, and were not contacted at all.

Llareggub · 17/09/2013 15:09

No. I moved when my youngest was 3. We've still not heard anything from the HV nearly a year later.

Bragadocia · 17/09/2013 15:26

I moved county 14 months ago - no contact until this summer when my GP wrote to them directly asking them to visit me and DS (3.8) at home. HV was profusely apologetic that they hadn't been in touch, but said the GP practice here hadn't put us in the system. When I registered at the GP surgery last year, I asked whether I should make contact with the Health Visitors, and was told by the receptionist that they would do so themselves if they needed to.

I have recurring depression problems which were considerable when DS was very little, but when my former HV at my previous borough retired, no-one else picked us up. It seems really easy to drop off the radar. DH and I did talk about this a while ago - at what point would it be noticed that a child wasn't appearing? We weren't asked to go to any child development checks, weren't asked to go for MMR booster (which is 18 months in my former borough). It's seems very odd that there is no process that keeps half an eye on a child's welfare.

So just in this little situation, so much incompetence!:

  • HV didn't pass on my file when she retired
  • 2 year development check wasn't requested
  • MMR booster wasn't requested
  • New GP practice didn't pass us to HVs
  • Old GP practice still hasn't forwarded DS' notes to new practice
redcaryellowcar · 17/09/2013 15:36

I think you are supposed to be contacted, I have a relative who is a hv and she also follows up a and e admissions. I.e contacts parents after admission to check all ok etc. she lives in different county to me and I haven't seen a hv since last one retired over a year ago.

AnneUulmelmahay · 17/09/2013 15:38

Nope

AnneUulmelmahay · 17/09/2013 15:45

Not until I had a baby then we saw HV praps three times, a weaning type sesh, two yr approx check, then pre pre school jabs. Nice lady. She called in for coffee randomly last yr, my kids are secondary age. Oh well.

ABumDance · 17/09/2013 15:58

We moved county 7 months ago and we were contacted on various occasions by post and 2 phone calls IIRC. We had exceptional service from our HV team in the NW and although we haven't seen a HV yet, all contact has been pleasant and efficient.

tribpot · 17/09/2013 16:05

We moved when ds was still a baby, so nearly 8 years ago. As far as I can recall, we were contacted by the HVs but I may have contacted them myself as I was still getting him weighed and stuff. I think the practice did it. Then again, literally the first thing I did on our first morning in our new town was go up to the practice clutching a sheaf of repeat prescription requests, as I knew my first challenge was getting them to start prescribing all manner of controlled drugs to my DH long before the notes could possibly arrive from the old practice. So our way of interacting with the health service is not that typical.

Retropear · 17/09/2013 16:22

Yes and we were checked up on when dtwin 1 was admitted to 2 diff A&Es in one weekend.Blush

Ran into a wall on the Sat and fell off a slide in a play park Sun!

A&E thought it was funny,HV not so much.

deepfriedsage · 17/09/2013 18:37

I moved with a newborn pfb, I had to locate new HV and introduce myself.

Trigglesx · 17/09/2013 19:17

Nope. The only reason the HV knew about us was because we were present when she stopped by to visit adult DD and DGS.

HotDogHotDogHotDiggityDog · 17/09/2013 21:41

I didn't move/change GP's but when my HV went on M/L when DD was 6 months old she told me a new one would be in touch. Never happened.

DD is now 9 years old! Hmm

Original poster
Owllady · 18/09/2013 16:23

Gosh it's a bit worrying you can just move county and 'disappear' isnt it?

It made me feel sick when I saw about the Bradford case today too :(

OP posts:
BrokenSunglasses · 18/09/2013 19:18

We weren't contacted, but tbh I don't think we should be. I don't want the state following me around and watching what I'd do or where I go. As a parent, it's my responsibility to register with GPs and ask for HV support if I need it.

Children can be monitored through school, and as far as I know, schools do have a kind of handover system. It's very informal though. I'd rather see that improved and made essential for every child. That way if a child left a school, that school would have to make sure the child was re registered elsewhere and report if they couldn't make contact with another school.

Erebus · 18/09/2013 20:58

Um- if your the parent of a 'vulnerable' DC, isn't, or shouldn't it be up to you as the parent to tell 'the relevant authorities' of your move?

If you have 'a child in need', don't you, as a responsible parent attempt to meet those needs without sitting back and awaiting the Health Service to come calling? Then bitch on MN when they don't? I know I'd be straight onto the local GP - like I was for my NT DC when I moved house! It's all about being an adult and taking responsibility. I know I sound harsh but when it comes down to it, the day you make the decision to become a parent, you become responsible for the life you've created, therefore you lose the 'right' to seek blame with others who don't come running to 'check'.

In the current financial situation, you'd better get used to shouldering responsibility for stuff appertaining to you and your DC and not rely on someone else keeping tabs for you. This is not, yet, a 'nanny state' thankfully.

You'd have to clarify 'wilful' as in: "I was willfully ignored by social services for a whole year, then imo neglected for a further year." Did you request a visit which didn't happen? Which is different again.

MrsSpencerReed · 18/09/2013 21:13

I was contacted after 3 months of moving but that may have been due to my MH issues and being a lone parent.

NiceTabard · 18/09/2013 21:21

Is this just generally or if there is contact with HV / services outside of normal guidelines, for a reason?

Anyway TBH here (london borough) I can't imagine anything happening (people getting in touch) in all but really end-of-the-scale circs.

Round here there is no continuity of care / waiting lists are forever / HV what HV etc etc. The idea of having a HV who you know or a GP you know is utterly baffling.

hettienne · 18/09/2013 21:26

Yes, moved house when DS was about 18 months and was contacted by new HV for a home visit about 4 months later (we had previously had minimal HV contact except weighing clinic and no concerns).

Have just moved again, and 4 months later have just had a phone call from new HV - DS is now 3.

hettienne · 18/09/2013 21:27

When we registered with new GPs each time we ticked the "child health surveillance" box so obviously HVs knew we had moved to the area.

nancy75 · 18/09/2013 21:31

I live in a london borough and was contacted by a HV when we changed GP. I was surprised as we didn't change county, just moved from one part of the borough to another. DD was about 2 at the time so this was quite a few years ago

NiceTabard · 18/09/2013 21:35

That's great service nancy!

I generalised as I don't want people to know where I live Grin but round here it's each to their own and you have to fight for services and there's not much "automatic" you get 1 visit after birth and that's it (unless I guess you are horribly ill... I was pretty ill!!!).

We are a very large fairly basically tory borough though so I suspect they think if people want / need help then they should go and find it IYSWIM.

thejoysofboys · 18/09/2013 21:38

Yes. We moved when I had a 2yr old and a 1 yr old. The HV was in contact within 3 months and had done a home visit within about 4 months.

PassTheCremeEggs · 18/09/2013 21:46

Moved from London to Yorkshire, HV was in touch within three weeks of us moving in to arrange a home visit to see our 14 month old. Came and spent an hour and half with us. Excellent service, far far better than we got in London.

nancy75 · 18/09/2013 21:50

Nicetabard, I live in the most Tory borough! We live in Bromley which is about as blue as it gets, as i said this was a few years ago and things may have changed, it may have been because dd was the right age to trigger a check up, she was about 2, I think they used to do some kind of 2 year development check. I have to be honest I have been lucky enough never to actually need a HV so i don't know how good/bad they are here if you actually need them.

NiceTabard · 18/09/2013 22:05

I never got called for a 2 year check with either of mine [sadface]

I looked in my red book and there was a list of stuff there but none of it happened! As I was feeling unwell at the time Hmm I didn't chase it.

DD has currently been on the waiting list for developmental delay type stuff for 2 years. She just started school, really I think if they had helped nearer age 2 when we raised it, it would have maybe put her in a better place for school. Now she's at school though and STILL nothing. FGS.

Grrrr.

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