About our Health Visiting Service
Health Visiting Service: Our local offer for children living in Wigan
The Health Visiting Service offer is available to all children and families, including children with additional health needs.
We provide advice, information and support to families and children and help parents make decisions that improve their family’s future health and well-being.
You can call the Health Visiting Duty Number during working hours for general information and advice on 0300 707 1243. Please note this is not an emergency number,
Your local Pharmacy and 111 can give you support around the management of common ailments. In an emergency contact 999 or attend your local Accident and Emergency service.
Getting ready for School - Guide to Immunisations pre-school leaflet
Antenatal Course
One Plus One - Online courses supporting parents with communication and relationships
Think Wellbeing Perinatal Course has been designed for any parent or caregiver in the perinatal period who wants to better understand their thoughts and feelings and learn ways to manage daily stress, anxiety and periods of low mood. The course consists of 6 weekly sessions, each session lasting between 1.5 and 2 hours. Telephone referrals can be made 01942 764449 or self-refer online at www.gmmh.nhs.uk/think-wellbeing. See leaflet for further information.
Discover simple ways to enjoy spending time with baby and balancing life as parents with Enjoy Your Baby https://llttf.com/home/enjoy-series/ from Living Life to the Full. The core course is FREE.
Enjoy Your Baby - A Course for New Parents
Baby Check App
The Lullaby Trust offer a free app to help parent's and carer's decide whether the baby needs to see a doctor or health professional when they are showing signs of illness. By following the 19 simple steps a score is calculated which indicates how ill the baby is and what to do next. Lullaby Trust Baby Check app
Volunteering
DADS MATTER COURSES
The Health Visiting Team is made up of:
- Health Visitors (qualified nurses/midwives who have completed additional specialist training in public health nursing.)
- Community Staff Nurses
- Community Nursery Nurses
- Support Workers and Admin Staff
We offer support to all families before and after the birth of their baby and up to when their child starts school as part of the National Healthy Child Programme.
We provide advice, information and support to help families and children make decisions that improve their future health and well-being. A transition to the School Nursing service takes place on entry to reception to ensure continuity and ongoing support where needed.
Each health visiting team covers a geographical area across Wigan and works closely with different professionals such as Midwives, General Practitioners (GP), School Nurses and Start Well Family Centre’s. We can visit children and families in different settings such as the family home, Health Centre’s, Start Well Family Centre’s, Early Years Settings or other community venues as well as offering virtual appointments where appropriate. All of our staff will identify themselves with their Trust ID badge and you should ask to see it if it is not visible to you.
Your Health visiting Service offers a Duty telephone line open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. This means that when you call you will get to speak to a qualified Health Visitor in the team. If the line is busy please leave an answer machine message with:
- Child's name
- Date of birth
- Your preferred contact number
- Brief message
For your privacy this telephone line is password protected and can only be accessed by a member of the Health Visiting team. Don’t worry if you’re not sure which area to call the Health Visitor can always re-direct you if necessary.
Health Visiting Service Ashton, Wigan & Leigh Facebook
HEALTH VISITING DUTY ENQUIRY NUMBER
For any general enquiries you can contact the Health Visiting Duty line, This is not for emergencies and is only available during daytime working hours.
Health Visiting Duty Telephone: 0300 707 1243
HEALTH VISITING DEDICATED APPOINTMENT ONLY LINE
To arrange, update or cancel an appointment contact the dedicated appointment line below
Dedicated Appointment Line (Health Visiting): 0300 707 1245
Well Baby Clinics
Your local Health Visitor Clinics are now running 2-3 times a week in your area. Your Health Visitor can prescribe medications for eczema and oral/napkin thrush plus more and is there to answer any questions about your child's health, growth, feeding and development.
Please book on via the clinic number and always remember - never attend a clinic setting with any COVID symptoms.
Baby Clinic Updates From 1st of June 2023
Pemberton Baby clinic will be 1.00pm -3.00pm every Wednesday
Worsley Mesnes clinic will be 9.30am -11.30am every Thursday
Aspull Clinic will be 12.30 - 2.30pm every other Monday
Westfield Start Well Timetable Autumn
Check our Facebook page for useful information. Health Visiting Service Ashton, Wigan & Leigh Facebook
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The Health Visiting Service offer is available to all children and families, including children with additional health needs.
We provide advice, information and support to families and children and help parents make decisions that improve their family’s future health and well-being.
You can access more information about the Wigan Local Offer here.
Wigan Parent Carer Forum Summer Newsletter is now available with news and information for parent, carers of children with SEND.
Your Community Midwife is your main support during your pregnancy though some families may be offered an appointment with a Health Visitor around 28 weeks of pregnancy. This can be face to face, group session, phone contact or an Attend Anywhere appointment which is online.
You will have a number for your midwife in your Red Book or you can contact them through your local Community Hub numbers below should you need them.
Leigh – 01942 264004
Wigan South – 01942 481487
Wigan North – 01942 433602
Ashton – 01942 482476
Thomas Linacre Clinic Outpatients and Scan – 01942 774778
Maternity Triage – 01942 778628
As this is a busy time when you may need support and information to help you get ready for parenthood. Your Community Midwife or Health Visitor can signpost you to services to assist with a wide range of practical issues;
- maternity and paternity entitlements,
- benefits and housing
- changes in your physical and emotional health
- Infant feeding - to breast or bottle feed,
- local services and groups for mothers, fathers and grand-parents too
You may be struggling to make the positive changes to your lifestyle that you would like such as eating well, stopping smoking or drinking. Remember we are here to support you and your partner - not judge.
We have some useful websites that can give you more information as well as leaflets to help you prepare.
Staying at home supporting you with your routines activity and wellbeing
Being pregnant preparing to give birth
Bonding with your baby becoming a parent
You can speak to the Health Visiting team by calling their duty number in your area.
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Your Health Visitor will arrange to come and see mum, partner and your new baby between 10-14 days after the birth of your baby. It is easy to think that dad’s or partners might not be needed at this visit but you are a vital support to both mother and new born so please make every effort to attend.
At this visit your Health Visitor will be able to support you as a family with information on feeding issues, safe sleep and baby development. Your Health Visitor will share New Born Behaviour Observations tools with you as a key way to help you understand how your baby communicates, build relationships with the wider family as well as parent/s or carer/s.
In addition to your baby’s needs your Health Visitor is there to support both parents with any issues around maternal health post-delivery, contraception advice and can signpost you to maternity/paternity advice, support for relationship problems and practical advice on benefits and housing.
Your Health Visitor can direct you to groups and services that can support you so use their expertise to help you on your parenting journey.
For more useful websites view our useful links section.
Have you thought about Contraception?
Your fertility and risk of a further pregnancy is very high following birth and you should consider appropriate contraceptive options. Discuss with your health professional or call Spectrum Sexual Health service on 01942 483 188.
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Having a baby is life-changing for new mums and their partners and whilst it can bring a great deal of excitement and joy into their lives it can also bring additional pressures. These can be in the relationship, in a person’s finances and also in their emotional well-being.
Your Health Visitor has had specialist training and can help you to explore your feelings if you have any anxiety or low mood and can undertake an assessment looking at Post Natal Depression with you.
In addition to listening support Health Visitors can make referrals to a wide range of services on your behalf requesting specialist support from you GP, Counselling support, Dad’s groups and Support groups for example.
We understand that it can be difficult to open up at first but it can be helpful to know you are not alone and that there is support to help you.
Here are some useful leaflets and websites providing more information and support.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority NHS: Guide to Pregnancy, Family and Mental Health Wigan
Family Welfare Peri-natal Counselling
Spectrum Sexual Health Service
Leaflet: CM 172 Pregnancy & Postnatal Mental Health v2
Perinatal Wellbeing Course. This course has been designed for any parent or caregiver in the perinatal period who wants to better understand their thoughts and feelings and learn ways to manage daily stress, anxiety and periods of low mood. The course consists of 6 weekly sessions, each session lasting between 1.5 and 2 hours. Telephone referrals can be made 01942 764449 or self-refer online at www.gmmh.nhs.uk/think-wellbeing For more information check out the leaflet.
Your second Health Visitor appointment will be offered to you when your baby is between 6-8 weeks old. This appointment can be at your home, clinic or over the telephone. In addition to reviewing your baby’s health and development it is also an opportunity for you to have a chat about how you are feeling physically and emotionally.
Don’t underestimate the changes you and your family will be experiencing. If you or your partner are experiencing low mood, loss of interest in things and increased anxiety it’s important to talk to us.
We have some useful websites that can give you more information.
We will write to you when your baby is around 3-4 months old with additional support to help you prepare for introducing solids. Check out our Infant Feeding section for more information.
When your baby is 9-12 months old you will be offered a Health Review undertaken by your Health Visitor, Community Nurse or Community Nursery Nurse attached to the Health Visiting Team. They will send you a questionnaire called Ages and Stages. This will help you to capture how your baby is developing, check immunisations are up to date and support you with any issues or concerns that you may have. Having the completed questionnaire and your babies Red Book with you for the appointment really helps you get the most from this meeting.
Immunisation up to one year leaflet - now available translated into 33 community languages
This leaflet is available to download in the languages below. (UK HSA health publications)
English, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese(Simplified), Chinese(Traditional, Cantonese, Estonian, Dari, French, Farsi, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Panjabi, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese,
Romanian, Romany, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Yiddish, and Yoruba.
We also have some useful websites that can support you with introducing solids and sleep routines and some really important safety advice for using car seats and baby safety.
At 2-2.5 years of age your Health Visitor, Community Nurse or Nursery Nurse will contact you to arrange a further review. Prior to the meeting you will be asked to complete your child’s next Ages and Stages questionnaire. We have Community Nursery Nurses linked to each Nursery. If your child attends Nursery they can liaise directly and may offer a joint or ‘integrated’ review with yourself, the key worker from your child’s Nursery and a member of the Health Visiting Team together.
This review is your opportunity to track your child’s physical, learning and emotional development but it is also an opportunity for parents to discuss their support needs too.
This is a time of rapid change for your toddler and we are here to give you support and advice on a wide range of issues such as routines around sleep, toileting, healthy eating, immunisations as well as managing behaviour, child care funding and getting ready for school! Your child minder or Nursery can support you too.
Check out the sections on toileting and sleep routines for some useful information.
If your child is in a Nursery or Child-minder provision they will also support you with the transition from nappies to potty to toilet.
Between 18 months and 2 years is a good time to start introducing nappy free time and the potty. Most children will be dry most days by the age of 3 years and by 4 years will be reliably dry which is great for them starting school.
If you are concerned about any aspect of your child’s toileting contact us for support and advice.
Further information is also available in the following leaflet CM 155 School children who are bedwetting v2.
Your sleep routine changes even before your baby arrives particularly in the last trimester when getting comfortable at night might be a bit of a challenge. You may even notice that your baby is active more when you yourself settle down in the evening.
From the first days with your baby through to toddler and teenager – sleep plays a key part in their mood, behaviour and development and yours!
Getting information, advice and support to help you manage the changes that lie ahead will help you and your family. Speak to your Health Visitor and check out some of the useful websites in our useful links section for more information on sleep, routines and keeping your baby safe through the night.
Safer Sleep Week 2024 from the Lullaby Trust
Easy Read guide to Safer Sleep & baby's airway
Here are some useful resources from the Lullaby Trust that you may find useful.
Lullaby Trust Safer Sleep - Emergency Situations
Lullaby Trust Safer Sleep - Safer sleep in Winter
Lullaby Trust Fact Sheet - Easy Read Things you can do
Lullaby Trust Fact Sheet - Safer Sleep - Temperature
Here are some useful videos that demonstrate the importance for all parents or carers to follow the safe sleep guidance.
Meet your Community Infant Feeding Team.
Bump, Baby and You - Infant Feeding Resources.
Find out about the WWL Community Breastfeeding Support Groups here.
There is more information on all aspects of infant feeding and healthy eating below and in the useful links section or contact your health visitor.
Leaflet: Healthy Eating Advice for Children aged 1 to 4 CM 104
BLISS - Weaning guide for Babies Born Premature or Sick
Video clips:
Talking and listening to your baby is vital.
Before they arrive babies are able to recognise the voices of their carer’s and will quickly learn to respond to the voices of those around them.
Parents are their first teacher. They are learning words, tones of voice, songs and stories and how to speak and socialise with others from you.
Unlike watching TV, when you talk to your baby you provide important eye contact which not only supports bonding but helps with social interactions and confidence later in life.
Encourage speech by limiting baby’s use of a pacifier (dummy), by singing and reading to them, talk about every-day things. Ask your Health Visitor about the free Bookstart pack and to discuss any issues or concerns you might have.
You can find lots of activities and ideas to support children’s communication, speech and language through the BBC’s Tiny Happy People site.
Check out the NSPCC Look Say and Sing Resources too.
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In September the care of children starting Reception passes from the Health Visiting Team to the School Nursing Team.
Getting your child ready for school starts so much earlier. Think about all the skills your child has developed since they were born! Are there any areas they need support with that you can work on over the Summer before they start school?
When we are getting our child to use a knife and fork, put on their coat or shoes, brush their teeth and wash their hands, read stories, make, bake and take turns talking and listening together - these are all skills that will help your child feel ready for school. Check out Public Health Englands Shake up Games to encourage your child to get active.
Be Well Wigan also support chldren and families with a healthy eating and exercise scheme Let's Get Movin' providing sessions like the one linked below:
Let's Get Movin' Session 1 - YouTube
Are your child's immunisations are up to date? Here's a guide to pre-school immunisations you can check against your red book.
If you need support to ensure your child is ready for school you can speak to your childcare provider, contact your Health Visitor or speak to the School Nurse service. Contact details for the Health Visiting and School Nurse teams are in this School Readiness leaflet.
Health Visitors work closely with a wide range of professionals to help improve the lives of children and young people in the Wigan Borough.
Where identified, Health Visitors can contribute to the safeguarding of children and young people through:
- Safeguarding pre-discharge meetings
- Attending Initial Case Conferences, Review meetings & Core Groups
- Child in Need meetings
- Meetings for vulnerable groups such as Looked After Children
- Provision of Health reports for Courts or Safeguarding meetings
- Follow up of missed health appointments or unmet health needs
- Review of children and young people’s A&E admissions
Diabetes Support Free Mental Health App
Your Information
Protecting your Privacy – How we use your information
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder www.drymester.org.uk
https://www.drymester.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Landscape-FASD-Video.mp4
Parent Support
GUIDE To pregnancy, Family & Mental Health Wigan
Support for dads Institute for Health Visiting
Institute for Health Visitors – Advice for Families
Family Welfare peri-natal counselling
Family Information Service Directory
Think Wellbeing Service Leaflet
Your Information Think Wellbeing
Wigan Borough Domestic Abuse service information
Child Bereavement UK Helpline 0800 02 888 40
Before Baby Upto 6-8 Weeks
Pregnancy
Information on Midwifery Services
Useful information on all aspects of pregnancy and birth across Manchester and Eastern Cheshire
Contraception and sexual health clinics
Baby Apps and Useful Websites
From pre conception through to toddlers
ICON Babies cry you can cope - advice and support
Best Beginnings Baby Buddy NHS developed app
Advice on getting off to the best start
Healthy Start Vitamins & Vouchers
UNICEF Meeting your baby for the first time
Parents struggling with crying and sleepless babies Call 08451228669 (2p per minute)
Little Orange Book to help manage common childhood illnesses
https://newcastlegatesheadccg.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2020/08/Little-Orange-Book.pdf
Bliss Charity - Advice for parents with babies born prematurely or born sick
Infant Feeding and Healthy Eating
BLISS - Weaning Guide for Premature Babies
Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
National guidelines on making up bottles Building a happy baby
First Steps Nutrition Trust Independent Public Health Charity
Leaflet: Healthy Eating Advice child aged 1- 4 CM 104
Safe Sleep
Safer Sleep Awareness Lullaby Trust 2022
UNICEF Caring for your baby at night
Advice for dad’s around safe sleeping
Parents with crying and sleepless babies Call 08451228669 (2p per minute)
NHS Helping your baby to Sleep
The Sleep Charity: Information on Sleep and Sleep Hygiene
Sleep and children with special educational needs
Child Safety
CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTION TRUST PARENT PACK
Child Accident Prevention Trust
Everything you need to know about car seat safety
Translated Fact Sheets Child Safety CAPT
Dogs and Children Top tips for keeping them safe and happy together
Keeping your child safe around dogs
Leaflet: CM 041 Top Tips to Prevent Injury in children v2
First Year
https://dentalcheckbyone.co.uk/ Advises parents to ensure that young children in their care are taken to see a dentist as soon as their first teeth come through, and before their first birthday.
Immunisation up to one year leaflet - now available translated into 33 community languages
This leaflet is available free to order or download in the languages below. (UK HSA health publications)
English, Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese(Simplified), Chinese(Traditional, Cantonese, Estonian, Dari, French, Farsi, Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Panjabi, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese,
Romanian, Romany, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Yiddish, and Yoruba.
Leaflet: CM 20043 Looking after your Baby's Teeth
Infant Feeding
First Steps Nutrition Trust Independent Public Health Charity
Dental Health
https://www.brushdj.com/ A fun and educational app to help people improve their oral hygiene. The app uses music from your mobile device and plays it for two minutes, the recommended brushing time. It also has videos on how to brush your teeth and aims to make brushing fun.
https://www.bspd.co.uk/ British society of Paediatric Dentistry
https://teethteam.org.uk/ resources for school age children, schools and professionals
https://teethteam.org.uk/resources/BSPD-Practical-parenting-guide.pdf leaflet for children of all ages
School Readiness
Advice for parents from the Professional Association of Child Care & Early Years
Toileting
Institute for Health Visiting Advice on Toilet training
Leading Children’s Bladder and Bowel Charity - Video’s exploring toileting. Helpline 0845 370 8008 (Charged at 9.6p per minute).