Scanlon: Healthy younger generation essential for Scotland to reach its potential

Scottish Conservatives have welcomed the Scottish Government's intention to make health checks more available for children under 4.

In the forthcoming election, Scottish Conservatives will be campaigning for a £20m boost to health visiting services.

Mary Scanlon MSP, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, said:

"Scottish Conservatives have consistently campaigned for more Health Visitors and more health and development checks for children under five years old. We have pledged to direct £20 million from the health budget towards providing more and better support for new parents through a massive increase in home health visiting services.

"At the present time, many children are not checked for almost 4 pre-school years, so we welcome the re-introduction of the 24 – 30 monthly review. This will help to ensure that health and development issues are identified and diagnosed at an early stage and that care, treatment and support be give so that the child does not miss out on critical learning and activities in the early years.

"I welcome all these checks, including nutrition, growth and weight, particularly given the rising levels of obesity in young children. A healthy younger generation is essential if Scotland is to reach its potential."

The 24–30 monthly review covers speech, language and communication, personal, social and emotional development (including behavioural issues); nutrition; growth and weight; immunisations; parental concerns and issues; vision; hearing and oral health and physical activity and play.

Below are the parliamentary questions Mary asked and the answers she received.

S3W-39585 - Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) (Date Lodged Friday, February 11, 2011): To ask the Scottish Executive what health professional will undertake the proposed health and development check for children between 24 and 30 months under the universal child health surveillance programme.

Answered by Shona Robison (Tuesday, March 08, 2011): The review needs to be flexible to meet the needs of the child and family. Although it is anticipated that a registered Public Health Nurse " Health Visitor will lead the review process, it is for NHS boards to decide locally how the reviews can be carried out most effectively depending on the individual child and family circumstances, and who the most appropriate health professional is to carry out that review.

S3W-39584 - Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) (Date Lodged Friday, February 11, 2011): To ask the Scottish Executive what health and development checks will be undertaken in the proposed 24 to 30 month review under the universal child health surveillance programme.

Answered by Shona Robison (Tuesday, March 08, 2011): As a minimum, the 24 to 30 month review should cover: speech, language and communication; personal, social and emotional development (including behavioural issues); nutrition, growth and weight; immunisations; parental concerns and issues; vision, hearing and oral health, and physical activity and play.

The review may be expanded, depending on child and family circumstances, and professional concerns.

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