Common Sense for our NHS: Scottish Conservatives want a £20m boost for health visiting in Scotland

Scottish Conservatives want a £20m boost for health visiting in Scotland.

Speaking in Glasgow today where she was joined by Ruth Davidson, top ranked candidate on our Glasgow list, Annabel Goldie, Scottish Conservative Leader, said:

"Six years ago there were nearly 1,500 health visitors in Scotland. Now there are marginally over 1,200.

"Health visitors are the vital point of contact with parents and young families, in the community, in their homes, speaking to mum and dad, giving reassurance, help and advice, and often spotting problems before they develop.

"Scottish Conservatives are clear in our commitment to develop a national health visiting strategy in order to tackle the current post-code lottery that faces Scottish families and ensure an equivalency of service across the country.

"We believe that health visitors should be attached to a GP, a view shared by many GPs in Scotland, allowing for greater communication between the health visitor and the family doctor and ensuring more of the child and families' needs are picked up on. We want to ensure that all families, regardless of income, area, or need have access to the health visitor service.

"It is common sense to provide better support for new parents through a massive increase in home health visiting services and that is why Scottish Conservatives have pledged to direct £20 million from the health budget towards providing that support."

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