NMC

[Guest guest]

Last round of the letter-writing

I get the feeling that maybe people dont know what to write at this stage

and I thought since I had provided the address list I could post my own

letter that I have sent round the houses again to all on the list. Please

feel free to add or change, I present it just as a way of maybe helping

people get started. Liberally cribbed from (thanks for that) I sent

this in the post to my MP having already sent him the Private Eye thing on

www.faxyourmp.com

I have enclosed as an attachment as well as on this page

Best wishes

Re: The Regulation of Health Visitors Under the Nursing and Midwifery

Council

I write once again to express my concerns regarding the new legislation

regarding the Health Visiting profession that is currently before the House.

There is an astonishing lack of certainty and clarity about the status of

the register, because the term ‘health visiting’ is not used anywhere in the

title or text of the Order. Health visiting is a profession in statute; we

ask that consideration be given to this fact before detrimental change is

implemented.

The CPHVA have failed to share the concerns of their members in this regard

as a recent survey has shown. Senate for Health Visiting and School Nursing

is aware of the difficulties that this position presents for government.

Currently the CPHVA largely speaks and is recognised as the voice of the

health visiting profession, however rank and file health visitors do not

support the current direction taken by this organisation with regard to the

Nursing and Midwifery Council legislation.

This organisation (CPHVA) looked for reasons not to hold the Special General

Meeting requested by its’ members who were outraged at the position taken by

the organisation and subsequently presented in their name to government.

Members have requested an investigation by the independent regulator into

this ongoing issue.

The most important factor in all of this is the right of the general public

to be able to see and understand the regulatory workings of the profession.

What about Mr. and Mrs. Joe Public, who do they go to when they have a

complaint against a health visitor? What about transparent government,

openness and honesty? The greatest measure of the integrity of a profession

is in how it regulates its members. It is for this reason that health

visitors are rightly angered by the current proposals designed to take this

crucial aspect away.

I am in no doubt that making the health visiting profession invisible in the

legislative process does terrible harm to those served by that profession.

It is an injustice in the legislative process and it is an injustice in the

communities and families served by the health visiting profession.

I trust that you will give this matter your fullest attention

Yours sincerely

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