Healthy Child Programme (West Sussex)
Healthy Child Programme (HCP) teams lead and deliver the Healthy Child Programme, providing services from pregnancy to age 19. The HCP is the universal evidence-based public health programme for children and young people, which provides a range of health interventions and support, beginning in pregnancy and continuing through to the end of formal schooling.
HCP teams cover geographical areas with links to children’s centres, schools and doctor's surgeries. The teams comprise of Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (nurses/midwives with an additional degree level qualification in public health; often referred to as health visitors and school nurses), Registered Nurses, Community Nursery Nurses, School Health Assistants and administrative support.
Specialist Community Public Health Nurses play a crucial role in ensuring that children, young people and families get good, joined up support. For example, providing support to new mothers with feeding and transition into parenthood, identifying a child's speech or language problem that would benefit from early help, reviewing child development and supporting vulnerable young people with emotional health issues. Additionally the teams provide school entry vision, hearing screening and growth measurements at school entry and regular drop in services.
The HCP team can support children, young people and families with a variety of issues, including:
- Feeding and nutrition
- Behaviour and Sleep management
- Parenting issues
- Maternal mental health
- Emotional health
- Child protection issues
The teams work in partnership with other agencies to develop and deliver plans of care to the most vulnerable children and families.
Coverage
West Sussex
How To Access
Families can access the HCP teams by a variety of routes - themselves, through children’s centres, schools or doctor’s surgeries. No referral is necessary – any woman who is pregnant will automatically have contact with her health visitor, as should families with young children who move into West Sussex. Additionally, young people can access the service using text to ‘ChatHealth’ on 07480 635424.
Appointments with the Healthy Child Programme are held through a variety of ways, including face to face appointments, video consultations, and telephone consultations.
Contact Details
Our advice lines are open 9am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Please contact the advice line for the region in which you live
Health Visiting
| District Area | Telephone Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Arun & Chichester | 01273 696 011 ext 5267 | sc-tr.chichesterandarunhcphub@nhs.net |
| Crawley | 01273 696 011 ext 6860 | sc-tr.crawleyhcphub@nhs.net |
| Horsham | 01273 696 011 ext 4872 | sc-tr.horshamhcphub@nhs.net |
| Mid-Sussex | 01273 696 011 ext 6606 | sc-tr.midsussexhcphub@nhs.net |
| Worthing & Adur | 01273 696 011 ext 6171 | sc-tr.worthinghcphub@nhs.net |
School Nursing Advice line
The school nurse advice line is available from 9am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). Please call us on 0300 303 1137 or you can use the following emails
| District Area | |
|---|---|
| Horsham, Worthing & Adur | sc-tr.centralschoolnursing@nhs.net |
| Crawley and Mid-Sussex | Sc-tr.eastschoolnursing@nhs.net |
| Arun & Chichester | Sc-tr.westschoolnursing@nhs.net |
Opening Hours
Monday - Friday 8am - 5.30pm
How to find us
Please see above for contact details.
More information
Family Assist – An online West Sussex service with up-to-date health and early year’s information. You will be able to access to a wide range of information and resources, both local and national.
Change4life – Healthy living advice for families
UNICEF Baby friendly resources – Infant feeding advice
