ABOUT ISPHNS

The Integrated Specialist Public Health Nursing Service (ISPHNS) 0-19 (25) delivers the Healthy Child Programme (HCP)  ‘Pregnancy and the first five years of life’ and ‘From 5-19 years old’.

The ‘Pregnancy and the first five years’ HCP programme offers every family a programme of screening tests, immunisations, developmental reviews, and information and guidance to support parenting and healthy choices – all services that children and families need to receive if they are to achieve their optimum health and wellbeing.

The ‘From 5 -19 years old’ HCP sets out the good practice framework for prevention and early intervention services for children and young people. It recommends how health, education and other partners working together across a range of settings can significantly enhance a child’s or young person’s life chances. For example, the ISPHN Service works in partnership with the East Riding of Yorkshire Children’s Centre, and closely with nurseries, educational settings and voluntary organisations.

The foundations of the HCP lie in the five Every Child Matters (HM Government, 2004) outcomes that children and young people identified as fundamental to their lives:

• be healthy
• stay safe
• enjoy and achieve
• make a positive contribution
• achieve economic wellbeing

Our service provides specialist health support which starts at the point of pregnancy and continues throughout the child’s life until they reach the age of 19 or up to the age of 25 for people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

The service is delivered by six professional teams across the East Riding. These teams are comprised of specialist community public nurses, family nurse practitioners, breastfeeding specialists, community public health nurses, nursery nurses, healthcare support workers and administration staff. Our specialist public health nurses work closely with other services and settings, including community midwives, GPs, children’s centres, early years’ settings, schools, and higher education settings. We also work closely with other agencies for children with complex health needs or special educational needs and disabilities to ensure they get the services and care they need.