Children harmed by decision to redeploy health visitors, Covid inquiry hears

"Many health visitors were sent to work in other parts of the NHS at the beginning of the pandemic. Alison Morton, CEO of the Institute of Health Visiting, told the inquiry it was "inappropriate" as they "were needed most on their own front line". NHS England's Chief Nursing Officer Duncan Burton told the inquiry its response to safeguarding did not stop throughout the pandemic despite staff being diverted to critical services. Health visitors in almost two thirds of trusts in England were redeployed in March 2020, according to research by University College London."

"The intention was that they would go to work in hospitals to support acutely ill patients but some were sent to do administration, to deliver parcels and to answer telephones, the inquiry heard. Some health visitors who remained in post were left with case loads of 750 children or more, way above the recommended 250, evidence provided by Prof Catherine Davies, of Leeds University, to the inquiry showed."

""We let families down", Ms Morton told the inquiry, saying protection was not afforded to babies and that "some children paid the highest price". The inquiry was shown research by the child safeguarding review practice panel which identified Covid adaptions, such as virtual visits as opposed to home visits by health visitors, as factors in the deaths and serious incidents of some children. Children like Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes - who were both killed by their guardians during the pandemic - hit the headlines but there were many others, Ms Morton told the inquiry."

Many health visitors were redeployed to other NHS roles at the pandemic's start, often ending up in hospitals or performing administrative tasks rather than community safeguarding work. Almost two thirds of trusts redeployed health visitors in March 2020. Some remaining health visitors carried caseloads of 750 children or more, far exceeding the recommended 250. Adaptations such as virtual visits reduced direct oversight and weakened safeguarding. Babies and vulnerable children were not always protected, and some experienced life-changing or fatal outcomes, with well-known child deaths cited as examples of the consequences.

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